Though darker meats of the Gulf like Amberjack and Kingfish are not the most sought table fare, it’s hard for me to release a nice Amberjack knowing what a crowd pleaser these bruisers can be! It’s taken me a few tries to get this dip the way I like it and I hope you all enjoy it as well!
Marinate overnight:
1lb – Amberjack fillets
Italian Dressing
1 Tbs Brown Sugar
Dash of Old Bay
Smoke at 200° for 2 hrs on your Traeger Grill.
After removing from the smoker, using gloves, break the fish down into a bowl of flaky meat.
Add the following ingredients one at a time and blend until consistency reaches a nice heavy spread.
1 Tsp Minced Garlic
3 Stalks of Celery Chopped
1 Chopped Jalapeño
1/2 Chopped Red Onion
1/2 Cup of real Mayonnaise (I use Duke’s)
1 package of Cream Cheese
1 handful of Chopped Cilantro
1 Tsp of Saté Chili (this will give it a little heat and nice color)
Tip: Using a stand mixer will make this much easier.
Refrigerate and serve chilled with your favorite chips or crackers.
SOAK UP THE SUN: Ample cockpit seating and a hydraulic swim platform makes summer days on the water a breeze.
The state-of-the-art Cruisers Yachts 50 Cantius perfectly blends luxury and function for unrivaled comfort
By Alyssa Jackson
Set sail on this 2018 50’ Cruisers Cantius that is perfect for extended-stay voyages, as well as quick day or weekend trips on the water. This one of a kind cruiser, handcrafted in the USA, is equipped with three staterooms and two heads, and plenty of space for endless entertaining. It also features easy joystick docking to ease the minds of it’s captains. With numerous lounging options, this yacht offers an abundance of comfort for your days on the water.
The master stateroom is full beam with an ensuite. It includes a luxurious and comfortable lounger and plenty of storage to bring along all of your trip’s necessities. The VIP stateroom encompasses panoramic windows for a beautiful waterfront view. The third stateroom features dual bunks for the opportunity to bring along even more family and friends. The accommodations on this vessel are abundant!
The salon’s unique open-floor concept and aft galley allows for infinite entertaining. The retractable windows create an oasis on the water by offering 360-degree ocean views. Plush seating surrounds the space to allow for plenty of relaxation and conversation. The creatively constructed galley with a retractable aft window offers an exceptional atmosphere of functionality and opens the space to create inclusivity for all onboard.
ROOM WITH A VIEW: The roomy salon and adjacent galley have everything you need to entertain family and guests.
TAKE A SEAT: The helm boasts innovative joystick and digital throttle features.
Cruise with ease with the innovative joystick controlling feature and digital throttles. Ample seating is incorporated in the cockpit for many guests, as well as a lavish bow lounge to escape reality and soak up the sun and beautiful views surrounding you. The list of amenities continues with a compact, yet efficient grill that sits within the transom, hydraulic swim-platform with convenient stairway, as well as a state-of-the-art audio system and descending blinds that transform the master stateroom into a media sanctuary. The gorgeous slate gray hull is truly picturesque as it gracefully glides along the water.
Not just known for her looks the 50 Cruisers is an efficient seaworthy vessel that will make your time on the water enjoyable while you travel to your desired destination. Cruisers Yachts reports that with the Volvo IPS 600 (435HP) at wide open throttle they reached a top speed of 32.93 knots (37.90 mph) at 2950 rpm. Best cruise came at 2500 rpm where the boat went 25.46 knots (29.30 mph), burned 42 gph for .70 statute miles per gallon, and had a calculated range of 282 statute miles at that speed.
This 50’ Cruisers Cantius is truly one of a kind. It is extremely spacious for its size and complete with many opulent amenities, bounteous accommodations and storage, and a perfect blend of comfort and extravagance for your memorable getaways. Come by Galati Yacht Sales in Galveston, Texas to take a look at the incredible Cantius.
STRETCH YOUR LEGS: Retreat to the full beam master statesroom and rest in spacious comfort after a long day of cruising.
The Boat Yard is located at 1145 FM518 in Kemah, TX.
Everything you need for your boat, all in one place
By Xander Thomas
Any boat, any size, anything you need, The Boat Yard in Kemah is here to help. They are authorized to work on any brand, so no matter how many boats you need work on, from whichever brand, they got you covered.
General Manager of The Boat Yard, Chet Morampudi, says that they are one-of-a-kind, being the only dealer in Texas authorized to work on every make.Not only can he fix up just about any water craft that one might bring in, but he offers any service the you might need for it.
“We do boat maintenance, engine service, fiberglass repairs, trailer repairs, all electronic installations,” Chet said.
He says that many places won’t work on fiberglass, but he wants his place to be a one-stop-shop for all boaters and sailors. He even offers mobile help, and for people within about a 15 mile radius who cannot bring their boat in, they will come to you to do the work.Even if you are further out and want his assistance, they will actually bring a trailer to pick up larger crafts that the owner may not want, or be able to transport. They take it into the shop, and deliver it back to the marina once work is done.
“Even though some people are 20-30 miles away with a huge boat and no trailer, we can still provide them with trailering services.”
In general, he likes to be pretty considerate of the needs of anyone bringing him work.He offers a service for fishing guides, that if they call ahead and tell him what they need done, he can order the parts ahead of time and get their ship in and out of the shop as quickly as possible.
“I know that it’s their living, and they have to be in and out quick, and we try to help them out. I just tell them to give me a call when they’re coming, and when they come in we quickly order everything they want,” he said, “Most people take like 1-2 weeks to get a boat done.”
He does this so that they aren’t losing out on any more income than they have to while getting the care that their boat needs.
On top of being able to work on everything and do anything you need, he also says that his prices are more than fair.
“We are still the lowest charging dealership around.For most of them, the range is like $125 an hour, but we still do $110.” Chet said, “If they are first responders we only charge them $99.”
He likes to help those who help others, offering veterans, teachers and first responders 10% off on all labor.
“Also, they don’t get charged for finance fees,” he said, “They also get $500 off on make, prep, ready fees.”
The Boat Yard sells boats, as well.He says that while he mostly deals new crafts, he does take trade-ins, and will do consignment.So even if you don’t have your new vehicle for sea life yet, he can hook you up.
The Boat Yard is located in Kemah, at 1145 FM 518, right at the intersection of Lawrence Rd. and 518.
Often I receive questions from anglers about shrimping and what it takes to use a sport (non-commercial) shrimp trawl.
The lure of going out and catching a nice batch of shrimp for either fishing or table fare intrigues many anglers with boats and just about all of them want to know what it takes to operate a shrimp trawl, license requirements and the pros and cons of going after shrimp around the Galveston Bay Complex.
As I once prided myself as a sport shrimper, we will discuss many aspects of this sport in hopes of acquainting those interested with some of the basic information.
First, let’s take a look at the expense of the trawl and related equipment needed.The largest trawl allowed for sport or recreational use is a 20-foot trawl.Most of the trawls on the market range from 10 to 20 feet.Large trawls require a commercial shrimping license.
Like just about all sporting equipment, the prices for shrimp trawls run the gamut from reasonable to expensive.On the average you should expect to pay around $600.00 for the maximum-sized sport or bait trawl and even the smaller sizes are not too far from that.
Recreational shrimpers must have a Texas Fishing License and a Saltwater Endorsement.Additionally, each trawl must have a special tag commonly referred to as a shrimp tag.
Now, what type of boat and motor are suitable for recreational shrimping? While it is hard to pinpoint the best boat for this, there are certain features that are desirable and not desirable.
A Jon boat at least 14 feet in length powered by at least a 15 hp outboard is about the minimum and one suitable for back bays and protected waters.Larger, more seaworthy boats are needed for open waters.
There should be plenty of unobstructed room in the rear of the boat for loading and unloading the trawl.One thing for sure is that your boat will get quite dirty during the process.
Sport shrimpers are allowed two quarts of shrimp per person per day with a maximum of four quarts per boat per day.
Besides shrimp, many species of shell fish and small fin or bait fish are caught while dragging the trawl.
Now, before you take the plunge and purchase your shrimp trawl, let’s look at some of the pros and cons of recreational shrimping.
Operating a shrimp trawl by hand is a physically exhausting activity.I shrimped up until about 20 years ago and gave it up due to the physical stress that a post-50 year-old just did not want to endure to have fun.
As mentioned earlier, shrimping will bring mud, slime, and all sorts of debris into your boat.For that reason I had a 15-foot Jon boat designated just for dragging my trawl and putting out and retrieving crab traps.
Other not so fun things associated with this sport are hanging the net on submerged debris and other objects that take time and effort to untangle or get free.
Shrimping takes time away from fishing, if your are trawling for bait to fish that morning.
If there was one negative that I want to emphasize that would be not to have high expectations of catching a lot of shrimp.Yes, at times, that is the case; however, the likelihood of your taking your limit each time is very low.
Now, let’s look at the pros of shrimping!It is a fun sport with each retrieval of the trawl bringing intrigue as to what might be in the net.
Each quart of live shrimp you catch saves you about $20 at the bait shop.
Crabs are almost a given when shrimping and for those who enjoy eating crab, this would be a big benefit.
While it is illegal to retain game fish caught in a sport trawl, there are a lot of other fish that often are part of thecatch.For offshore anglers, lots of chum is taken with each drag.
The surprise element is that there are always all sorts of marine life to be picked up off of the bottom, including lots of stingrays of all sizes.Once an alligator gar got caught up in the net and that was not a fun experience getting it out.
I have mostly pleasant thoughts of the years I shrimped off of Seabrook and would bring home some good seafood and bait.
While there is a lot more to this sport, some of the pointers above may prove useful and should give you a better idea of what is involved and hopefully get you started!
The green sea turtle, pictured here, is one of three species that nest on Texas beaches. Kemp Ridley’s and Loggerhead sea turtles also nest here.
Keep an eye out for sea turtles on Texas beaches over the next several months. Sea turtle nesting season runs from April to September and you can play a vital role in protecting the populations of these turtles.
If you see a nesting turtle, please call 1-866-TURTLE5 (1-866-887-8535)and report the location. Please keep your distance and do not disturb the turtle during its nesting activities. If possible, remain at the site until a biologist arrives.
With the public’s help, we can increase populations of critically endangered species like the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle.
With 105 boats already pre-registered for the 2019 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic and many more expected before the June 3 kick-off, the stakes will again be high for this popular sport-fishing event. More than $2 million in prize money was awarded in 2017 and 2018. Yet tournament organizers are sweetening the pot just a little more this year.
“We’re adding a special $25,000 incentive that will be paid if the winning fish is caught on a lure,” says Tournament Director Bobby Carter. “It has to be strictly a lure with no meat or bait attached. Dozens of genuine trophy blue marlin have been caught on plastics in the Gulf over the years, so including this special payout adds an interesting wrinkle to this year’s event.”
The Classic was the first tournament in the Gulf to increase the minimum length requirement to boat a blue marlin to 110 inches. Fish are measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail. Smaller billfish can still be caught and released as part of the competition. Teams can also enter optional release division categories for a chance at six-figure prize payouts. Qualifying catches are verified by video confirmation.
“We are continuing to work with the other Gulf tournaments to standardize the catch and release rules,” explains Tournament Coordinator Bert Merritt. “That aspect is a major component as we all move forward, especially with the levels of prize money involved. Our catch data bears this out. In today’s climate, raising the length to 110 inches to boat a qualifying blue makes sense.”
In addition to the blue marlin weight category and the release division (smaller blues, white marlin and sailfish/spearfish), teams can also weigh yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin. The swordfish category has been retired after the new Mississippi state record was set in 2017.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic is hosted by the Golden Nugget Casino & Hotel in Biloxi. Besides world-class gaming, the area offers beaches, golf, shopping and fine dining for family members who choose to stay ashore.
The 2019 MGCBC will be held June 3-9 at the Golden Nugget Casino & Hotel/Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi, Mississippi. To enter or learn more about the rules and tournament history, please visit www.mgcbc.com or through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).
The number of billfish released in Leg 3, brings the three-leg combined total to 3,945 billfish overall
Los Sueños Resort and Marina, located at Playa Herradura on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, held the third and final leg of its sixth annual Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown billfish series, presented by Chantilly Air, March 27-30, 2019. Forty seven of the best and most competitive teams came together to release a total of 1,234 billfish over three days.
Going in to this event, the reports were that fishing was slow with 3-6 fish a day being average. But the teams found the fish and the radio went off with an early bite on Day 1 and ended with a nail-bite inducing finish on Day 3. With 100 points awarded for each sailfish release and 500 points for each marlin release, marlin always end up making a difference for the podium finishers. After all the scorecards were reviewed, a three-leg Triple Crown total of 3,945 billfish were released (3,820 sails and 125 marlin) – or 444,500 points achieved by the 51 teams that participated this year, 38 of which were registered in all three events.
TRIPLE CROWN DAY 1
It was Tarheel to call in the first fish of the tournament just eight minutes after lines in, followed in the same minute by a triple sailfish release by Shoe. By 8:37 am four marlin had been released, with another two released in the following hour. In the same amount of time nine doubles were called in a three triples. Needless to say, fishing started off promising. By 10 am a total of 117 billfish had been released (111 sails, 6 marlin) and Fish Tank was in top position, followed by Sea Angel in second, and Tarheel in third. At the end of the day though, Uno Mas had taken first with 2,100 points (16 sails, 1 marlin), Sea Angel remained in second with 1,900 points (9 sails, 2 marlin), and Blue Eagle finished third on time with 1,700 points (17 sails), over Scandalous and Dragin Fly. The fleet achieved 373 billfish releases on Day 1, including 361 sails and 12 marlin.
TRIPLE CROWN DAY 2
Just four minutes after lines in, it was Pez Collector to report the first sailfish release of the day to Tournament Control. Funny enough, they also released the last fish of Day 1 at 4:02 pm on Thursday! At precisely 11:24 am Fish Tank released a marlin, starting a flurry of marlin releases with 5 in under 12 minutes. Fish Tank was in top spot at noon with a two-day total of 3,200 points, followed by Hey Chama with 3,100 points, and Uno Mas in third with 3,100 points. In the end though, Uno Mas pushed their way back to top spot with 16 sails and 1 marlin on Day 2 alone for a two-day total of 4,200 points (32 sails, 2 marlin), followed by Hey Chama with 3,900 points (34 sails, 1 marlin), and Fish Tank finishing in third with 3,800 points (23 sails, 3 marlin) on time, over Sea Angel. A total of 531 billfish were released on Day 2 alone (517 sails, 14 marlin) for a two-day total of 904 billfish (878 sails, 26 marlin).
TRIPLE CROWN DAY 3
The first hour of Day 3 was an explosion of marlin hook ups and releases, with the first call of the day a marlin hook up by Reel Pushy at 8:05 am, which was released only five minutes later. By 8:40 am, a total of 8 marlin had been released, including a double header striped marlin by Numero Uno, who went on to win the day with an impressive 2,100 points after releasing 6 sails and 3 marlin. By 2 pm the fleet went on to release 212 billfish, with Hey Chama then in first with 3,400 points, followed by Blue Eagle with 3,400 points, and Fish Tank also with 3,400 points. Off Duty finished the day off nicely with a triple sailfish release at 4:04 pm, bringing the total billfish releases for the day to 330 (318 sails, 12 marlin) and the three-day combined total to 1,234 (1,196 sails, 38 marlin). Uno Mas finished first for the tournament with 5,000 points (40 sails, 2 marlin), followed by Big Oh in second on time with 4,900 points (39 sails, 2 marlin), and Hey Chama in third with 4,900 points (44 sails, 1 marlin).
CASH PRIZES & AWARDS
Nearly 700 guests came together under the stars at the Los Sueños Beach Club to enjoy a phenomenal buffet dinner and live music by Acustica Lounge’s Coco Hits. Immediately preceding the presentation of trophies, prizes and checks to the tournament winners, guests enjoyed the highly anticipated dock show filmed and produced by Rich Christensen and Michael Butler. The ceremony was closed out by a spectacular fireworks display by La Trinidad. Tournament winners took to the stage to receive a total of $240,000 in cash prizes, as well as other awards provided by tournament sponsors, including custom trophies by Gray Taxidermy, apparel by Tunaskin, framed prints of this year’s tournament art by Steve Goione, YETI coolers and tumblers, Huck buckets, Costa Del Mar, and Flor de Caña aged rum.
1st Place: UNO MAS
5,000 points, 40 sails and 2 marlin
Uno Mas is a 60’ Bayliss captained by owner Brooks Smith, with anglers Sam Peters, Matt Traber, Justin DeBoom, Terry Robinson, and Jeremy Agüero. Uno Mas came in sixth in Leg 1 this year and eighth in Leg 2. They previously took first in Leg 2 in 2018, as well as second in Leg 3 in 2015, where Brooks was crowned Top Angler.
2nd Place: BIG OH
4,900 points, 39 sails and 2 marlin
This is Big Oh’s first win since 2015 when they fished on Trophy Box and took third both in Legs 1 and 2. Big Oh is a 63’ Scarborough captained by Ronnie Fields, with anglers Gray Ingram (owner), Jimmy Fields, Anthony Rizzo, Rodney Ingram, and Bo Ingram. Big Oh previously won several of the Signature Billfish Series and Marlin Invitational tournaments, which were run by Los Sueños prior to the formation of the Triple Crown.
3rd Place: HEY CHAMA
4,900 points, 44 sails and 1 marlin
Hey Chama, a 65’ Bayliss captained by Irving Irausquin, with anglers Leonard Chapman, Manoel de Silva, and Marlon Prendas, comes to us from Curacao. They fished the Triple Crown for the first time in Leg 2 of the 2018 series. These young up and comers finished 39th in Leg 1 and 44th in Leg 2, and gave a tremendous show in Leg 3 for a podium finish.
Series Champion: FISH TANK
17,400 points, 144 sails and 6 marlin
Fish Tank, a 63’ Hatteras captained by Ben Horning, with owners/anglers Chris and Laura Jessen, and their fellow anglers Kitt Toomey, Mike Ivancevic, Darren Helwig, and Joe West. Despite not making the podium for Leg 3, Fish Tank was the clear and undisputed Series Champion of the 2019 Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown, finishing with an almost unbelievable 17,400 points (144 sails, 6 marlin), 3,500 points ahead of the closest runner up, Sea Angel (on time ahead of Uno Mas with the same 13,900 points). Going in to Leg 3 Fish Tank already had a 2,900-point lead, and the 31 sails and 3 marlin they released in Leg 3 alone sealed their fate. Kudos to Laura Jessen who, despite a broken foot, released 6 sails this tournament alone and 34 sails over all three legs!
ABOUT THE LOS SUENOS SIGNATURE TRIPLE CROWN
2019 marks the 6th Annual Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown billfish tournament series. The Triple Crown consists of three annual tournaments, in January, February and March each year, and is fished out of the world class Los Sueños Resort and Marina in Costa Rica. Mark your calendars for the 2020 Triple Crown! Leg 1: January 15-18, Leg 2: February 26-29, Leg 3: March 25-28.
ABOUT LOS SUEÑOS RESORT AND MARINA
Los Sueños Resort and Marina is the premier luxury real estate resort in Costa Rica. Nestled on the Central Pacific Coast, Los Sueños is an 1,100-acre oasis offering incredible ocean, rainforest and golf course view properties; a gorgeous waterfront Marina Village commercial area with restaurants, shops and lively entertainment; a large private beach club for residents; an 18-hole championship golf course; a superb 201-room Marriott Hotel; and much more, all within close proximity to world record-setting sport fishing waters. Information on Los Sueños Resort and Marina is available online at www.lossuenos.com. Information on Los Sueños real estate properties is available online at www.lossuenosrealestate.com. For further information, please contact Ashley Bretecher, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, Los Sueños Resort and Marina, Toll-free: 1-866-865-9759, Direct Tel: 011-506- 2630-4005, or e-mail: a.bretecher@lossuenos.com.
The 1st Annual Swordfish Cup, a tournament with a popular 24-hour format, will be held July 27-28, 2019. Anglers around the world will be eligible to compete in their respective time zones. This new global sport-fishing contest is being presented by Fly Zone Fishing and RJ Boyle Studio.
“We’re excited to announce this new tournament catering to the growing legion of broadbill enthusiasts,” says Robert “Fly” Navarro, president of Fly Zone Fishing. “We’ve already heard from multiple teams and I expect to see some hefty entries hoisted to the scales. The popularity of swordfish has exploded in recent years and this tournament is designed to showcase this incredible fishery. We’ll be doing live updates every three hours on FaceBook (flyzonefishing) and giving away some cool prizes donated by our sponsors for those watching the feeds.”
The entry fee for the Swordfish Cup is $1,500 per team, with the winner taking 80 percent of the fees for the heaviest fish exceeding the 200-pound minimum weight. All line class weights will be allowed. Contestants may only use conventional rods and reels, including electric reels mounted on rods. Hand gear, bandit gear and hydraulic reels are not permitted. Harpoons may be used to boat the fish, however. In the event of a tie, the first eligible fish boated shall be declared the winner.
Photo: Capt. Dave Lear
Weigh-ins will be conducted at approved scales certified by governmental authorities within the last year. Fishing hours will be from 8 am on Saturday, July 27 until 8 am on Sunday, July 28, in each local time zone. Continuous video verification of the gaffing and boating of the fish with a GPS date and time stamp will be required to prove the catch was made during the specified tournament hours. The winning angler and/or team member may also be required to take a polygraph test to ensure compliance with the rules.
“Several prolific swordfish areas will be in play during our July time frame,” Navarro adds. “South Florida and the Keys, the Mid-Atlantic, as well as the Gulf of Mexico, Southern California and Hawaii could all produce the winning fish. And with the caliber of teams we’re expecting, the winning weight might be decided by mere ounces. It will be an exciting 24-hour window into the sport.”
For more information on the tournament or to register to compete, please visit www.swordfishcup.com
I waited a long time to hold a snook, especially a slab like this one. Caught on D.O.A. Lures 4” shrimp in 305 nite glow and a 3/8 oz. jig head. Photo: Cindy Nguyen
Capt. Brian Barrera before releasing a slot Texas snook. Photo: Kelly Groce
BY KELLY GROCE
South Padre Island is home to not only some of the best pastor tacos, but also the only fishable population of snook in the Lone Star State. I learned this after attending the D.O.A. Lures Outdoor Writers Event. That is also where I met Cindy Nguyen who is an amazing angler that has fished all over the world. She told me stories of catching snook in Florida. I think once I told her I had never fished for a snook let alone caught one, she felt bad for me. About a month after the writers event, Cindy gets a hold of me and says, “Let’s go get us a Texas snook.” It doesn’t take much convincing to get me to visit south Tejas, especially for a bucket list fish of mine. It only made sense that we ask SPI’s own Capt. Brian Barrera to take us. Brian is an overall great fisherman, but he has snook fishing dialed-in better than anyone else in the area.
Cindy Nguyen is no stranger to catching snook, but here she is with her first one caught in Texas. Photo: Kelly Groce
Cindy and I got to SPI around noon (thank you to the cop who gave me a warning for speeding due to my excitement). We met Brian and followed him to the boat launch, which is eight minutes away from the Mexico border, jumped on his Shallow Sport Boat, Blackbeard’s Delight II, and headed towards the Brownsville Ship Channel. Brian used a 1 oz. D.O.A. jig head with a D.O.A. 3” Texas Croaker shad tail that he said the snook had been loving lately. He tied on the ole’ faithful D.O.A. 4” shrimp with a 3/8 oz. jig head on another rod, which after a spot or two, Cindy caught her first beautiful Texas snook on. We then checked out a spot where you could literally see dozens of snook in the shadows and cast right at them, it was pretty unreal. The sun started to set and Brian showed us how to catch a few more before calling it a day.
After losing a slot snook by the boat the day before, I was happy to land this one. Photo: Cindy Nguyen
The next morning, I was determined to get my south Texas snook. I played some Selena on the way to the boat launch to get the fish in the mood. As we pulled up to the first spot of the day, there was tons of fry in the water and you could see snook hitting the surface. I tossed my D.O.A. shrimp as close as I could towards the rocks and started working it back, then I felt something slam my shrimp and I heard Brian say, “It’s a snook!” It jumped a couple of times before Brian netted it. Such a cool fish to not only catch, but to release. You lip them like a bass and they suck on your thumb until they are ready to swim off. Nothing could wipe the smile off of my face after catching some snook.
If you’re looking for your next fishing trip, check out South Padre Island and Capt. Brian Barrera. He’s a great fishing guide that can not only put you on snook but also trout, redfish and flounder. During the warm months he’s chasing big tarpon if you want a shot at the silver king.
I’ll be back that’s for sure.
South Texas Saltwater Experience Capt. Brian Barrera
Fishing Guide & Wildlife Biologist
956.755.9413 brian@doalures.com
Capt. Brian Barrera with one last snook before dark. Photo: Kelly Groce
The warm tropical hospitality of the Dominican Republic really seems to suit one North Carolina sportfisher. Builder’s Choice, a 64 Jarrett Bay based in New Bern, took top honors at the third annual Marina Casa de Campo Open last week at the luxurious resort in La Romana, DR. This marks the second year in a row that the boat has finished atop the Open leaderboard, which is co-sponsored by the marina and Fly Zone Fishing.
Led by Capt. Brent Gaskill, Builder’s Choice released five blue marlin the first day of fishing and added two more the next. Cabana, a 64 Spencer run by Capt. Eddie Wheeler, claimed second place with a two/one split of blues. Auspicious, an 80 Viking with Capt. Cookie Murray at the helm, made a last-day charge by releasing three blue marlin within a 45-minute span. Ties are broken by the time of release.
Blue marlin count for 400 points in the Open’s all-release format. White and hatchet marlin, plus spearfish, score 100 points while sailfish are worth 50. There are no line class rules in this event, but boats are limited to six rods. Lures and baits are both allowed, with ballyhoo the most common offering in the spreads.
“This is a full-fledged boat tourney,” explains Tournament Director Robert “Fly” Navarro. “The teams just go out, have fun and catch fish. We’ve gotten positive feedback on the simplicity of our rules.
“We co-host with Marina Casa de Campo to showcase the facility and celebrate these visiting boats spending time in the region,” he adds. “It’s a world-class resort and the fishing isn’t too bad, either. The marina and Casa de Campo take care of the hospitality aspects and event details while we run the tournament. We had live updates on social media throughout the tournament.”
Lainey Jones, competing aboard Mama Who, a 77 Jarrett Bay, was named the top lady angler for 2019. Jones tallied 800 points for two blue marlin released.
The dates for next year’s Marina Casa de Campo Open are set for March 14-16, 2020. For more information on registration and dockage, please visit flyzonefishing.com
My first wahoo weighed in at 36 pounds. (Check out those seas behind me). Photo: Shayne Ellis
BY KELLY GROCE
I was lucky enough to tag along with Team Pay Czech as they went searching for wahoo out of Freeport Marina for the 2019 Winter Wahoo Championship. Despite the howling winds and 4-6’ seas, we caught wahoo, blackfin tuna, amberjack and barracuda and had an absolute blast while doing so. Huge thanks again to Joe Schiller, Joey Schiller, Shayne Ellis and Collin Ferrera for inviting me along my first overnight offshore trip as well as my first wahoo. Go Team Pay Czech!
Collin Ferrera stuck this beautiful wahoo. Photo: Kelly Groce
Think personal watercraft crossed with a wakeboard, a skate board, add a hint of dirt-slinging, engine-buzzing motorbike, and then multiply it.
Jordan Davlin is bringing the exciting new water sport JetSurfing to Texas.
The man behind one of America’s newest water sports in the US is the dynamic Jordan Davlin, a native from Clear Lake City, Texas. He is an army veteran who served our country overseas, including Iraq. Afterwards he attended the University of Texas at San Antonio to study Business Management with small business concentration. Davlin is an entrepreneur at heart and has realized his dream with JetSurf Houston. He owned and managed 3 promotional and marketing companies in San Antonio before coming back home to Clear Lake in 2016 to support his family’s business. Davlin discovered JetSurf a year later and got involved after investigating the prospect of a unique and exciting new water sport product. He researched the Czech company MSR engines who designed and built the two stroke engine and state of the art technology driven by precision jet propulsion. JetSurf motorized surfboards sales and events are increasing all over the world, especially in Europe and Asia. It is just beginning to increase in demand and grow rapidly in America. These awesome motorized surfboards are quickly becoming one of the world’s most popular and fun water sports products.
Davlin represents JetSurf in the Greater Houston Area, which includes Seabrook, Lake Conroe, Galveston Island, and also South Texas, including South Padre Island. Moreover, Houston is the third largest boating, yachting, and sailing community in the country. Jet surfing is a versatile sport for all types, whether you enjoy a leisure ride, a day of exploring the water, big wave surfing, jumps and tricks, or progressing in the sport of competing in motosurf races. JetSurf Houston Academy allows easy access for anyone to rent a JetSurf board and enjoy the adventurous waterfront lifestyle. Many yachtsmen, sailors and boaters use a JetSurf in lieu of a dingy or raft. It is also a great boat accessory because of its mobility and portability. It travels well and is easily transported by car, boat, or airplane. A JetSurf board weighs less than 40 pounds, is under 6 feet in length, and travels at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
JetSurfing is an absolute blast!
JetSurf Houston opens their doors on April 11 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and the festivities continue throughout the weekend. Their exciting, energy packed Grand Opening and race will be held on April 11-14 at Endeavor Marina storefront location. JetSurf Houston will be hosting the first motosurf race in Texas on April 13-14. Enjoy a day of electrifying, fun-filled water sport festivities, good food, cold drinks, and live entertainment. Demonstrations, practice races, qualifications, and heats begin sharply at 10am.
The certified trainers at JetSurf Houston Academy enjoy teaching people about the newest water sport, which is rapidly growing globally. The Academy offers JetSurf boards on a lesson basis. You will receive personal instruction as well as helpful tips and coaching from highly skilled and trained personnel. JetSurf boards can become easy to ride with proper training from JetSurf instructors, so whether you are a novice water sport enthusiast, just simply enjoy a leisurely ride, or want to learn how to race, you will love the experience of riding a JetSurf board. JetSurf motorized surfboards are the newest technology in water sports that have the most vibrant, eye-catching style.
JetSurfing and leisure boating go hand-in-hand.
You can easily purchase a JetSurf board at the JetSurf Houston showroom located at Endeavor Marina on Clear Lake. Bay Area Houston and Gulf Coast Mariner are proud sponsors of JetSurf Houston. For more information call 281-JET-SURF(538-7873), email Jordan Davlin at info@jetsurfhouston.com, follow JetSurf Houston on Facebook and Instagram, or visit Jetsurfhouston.com. JetSurf Houston Academy is located at Endeavour Marina at 3101 E. Nasa Pkwy, Suite H, Seabrook TX 77586, as well as Waterpoint Marina in Lake Conroe, and Offatts Bayou in Galveston.
Artist Jake Jones takes old, discarded fish mounts and transforms them into vibrant pieces of art. www.freshfishgallery.com
Naples artist Jake Jones transforms old surfboards and fish mounts into oceanic works of art
Where are you from and where do you reside now?
I was born in California and grew up on the East Coast of Maryland. I currently reside down in sunny Naples, Florida. I do most of my work outside and it sure is nice in January and February to be able to create art in my driveway
What inspires your style of artwork?
My artwork comes from a life-long love of the ocean and the amazing creatures that inhabit it. Most of my work is done on ‘found items’ and I get a lot of satisfaction bringing something that was broken or discarded back to life.
We love that you use reclaimed surfboards, old fish mounts and driftwood for your pieces. Can you tell us more about your process?
I’ve always been an artist but my recent direction kind of goes back to the day that I found an old Sailfish mount on Craigslist for $50. It was just too cool to pass up. I knew I wanted to do something creative with it, but I wasn’t quite sure what. I ended up painting it lime green with a purple sail, hand brushed Polynesian style graphics on it and then put it back on craigslist under furniture. Someone bought it right away so I thought I might be on to something.I also came across an old surfboard that was damaged so I removed most of the fiberglass outer shell to be able to carve into the foam underneath. I really enjoy the process of carving a surfboard and they are the creative pieces that I am most proud of.
Besides art, what else are you passionate about?
Well I have two daughters in college that I am very proud of and besides my passion for art, I enjoy working out and seeking new adventures with my girlfriend Tammy.
If you had to pick, where is your favorite place one of your pieces is currently hanging up on the wall?
I sold a few pieces to a local brewery and they featured my art on this very cool wall that was made from old whiskey barrels. I really loved the combination of textures and colors when my art was hung there. I always ask my clients to please send me a photo of my work in their home so that I can see it. I get a lot of enjoyment seeing how my work is displayed in people’s homes.
Where is your favorite place to travel and why?
For the most part I enjoy being close to the ocean but I have to say that in recent years I really enjoy the mountains and the people of Georgia. I did some hiking there along the Appalachian Trail the last two summers and I just really love that area.
I really enjoy posting progress photos of the projects I have going and of course if you see something you like or want something commissioned please feel free to contact me! My email is artbyjake@gmail.com.
Are there any upcoming events or news you’d like to share with us?
I’m very excited about a gallery opportunity that is in the works, but besides that I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed!
David Fremont with a net full of lively shrimp. Boyd’s One Stop is located at the base of the Texas City Dike and provides bait, tackle, advice and seafood to its patrons. You can find David behind the counter, helping customers or out on the Dike taking pictures for the Texas City Dike Fishing Group.
Where are you from? Tell me about your background and how fishing became an important part of your life.
I was born on Galveston Island in 1954. My daddy worked for Amoco Oil in Texas City and moved us over here when I was a year old. I grew up a street off Bay Street, which is walking distance from the Texas City Dike. I went to work at Boyd’s when I was 14 years old, and I was one of the first kids to go to work with Gene Boyd, the original owner. He was an outboard shrimper and lived across the street from us.
He came over one day and he says “Hey you want to go to work for me? I’m going to open up that old Surfside restaurant on the Dike and have a bait camp. I’ll pay you a dollar an hour and I’ll work you to death!”
Well a dollar an hour was like hitting the lottery for me back then so I jumped on it. But he didn’t lie; he paid me but he also expected an awful lot and also taught me a whole bunch about dealing with the public. He made it perfectly clear that the customers were his bread and butter and I was a necessary evil.But he was tough, fair and just a great guy.
I stayed with Boyd’s until I went off to the local college and then worked for Amoco, like my dad did, and I spent 35 years there. I never quit coming to the Dike and fishing and having a good time.
How did the very popular Texas City Dike Fishing Group get its start?
After I retired, Jason Cogburn, the current owner of Boyd’s One Stop, asked me if I’d like to come help with some of the advertising and social media. I didn’t know too much about it all at first, but we had a little text group that we started with. Now Boyd’s has built up its Facebook followers to about 63,000 and the text group is still active. Like, this last week we just sent one out to about 25,000 people when we had crawfish on sale.
The Texas City Dike Fishing Group started out before Facebook. There was a handful of us old timers that would meet up and fish on the Dike regularly. We started using a real primitive fishing group on the internet as a way to keep in touch when we weren’t out there fishing together. We’d share stories and how fishing was going and such.
Then when Facebook took over, we were able to migrate to that platform with our same handful of guys. I started incorporating it with Boyd’s when people would come in and want to know what was going on with the fishing scene on the Dike. I would say “Well get on my little Texas City Dike Fishing Group! We’ll add you to it and you’ll see what the latest and the greatest is on what’s being caught.”
And in no time, it just kept growing and growing and now we’ve got over 15,000 people involved. Now I can keep people informed on what’s going on and what’s happening with Boyd’s, in terms of bait and fishing tournaments. This past season, our flounder tournament had 425 people in it. We were able to give away over $8,000 as we do 100% payout.
I know you guys have had some real trophy fish brought in during your flounder tournaments.
We have! We’ve had some real good catches. This past flounder run for the Dike was a little on the slow side but that’s just mother nature. Sometimes those flounder will migrate different ways and in larger numbers. The Galveston Channel still had plenty of fish to be caught. I was over there a time or two and had some good days. Some of our regular fishermen, like Jantzen Miller, also known as the flounder guru, is a great guy and won the tournament in 2017. He tags flounder and he keeps me, and many others, informed about what the flounder are doing. He fishes a lot and caught a couple ten pounders late last summer and early fall.
Boyd’s 2019 Drumathon tournament runs until April 15. It is a $20 entry fee and 100% payout for the winners. Visit www.boydsonestop.com to register.
What’s the word on the Boyd’s Drumathon Tournament?
We haven’t done one in a couple years but a lot of guys said “Hey the flounder run is over, let’s play drum!” So that’s what we did! It kicked off in February and will go until April 15. There are categories for slot and oversized drum. It’s $20 to sign up at Boyd’s or online at www.boydsonestop.com and has a 100% payout. Last I checked, we already have 125 people signed up.
Tell me more about Boyd’s owner Jason Cogburn and some of the big things he has in the works.
Jason Cogburn worked here as a bait boy many years ago and was fortunate, in that he was able to purchase the place. It had been bought and sold a few times after Gene Boyd passed away. Jason has turned it into a very nice business. He’s a family man and a man of great faith. He has started working with crawfish and it has taken over a big part of the operation. We are still very much involved with bait and tackle, but the crawfish business eats up 5 or 6 months of the year and it keeps us busy.
We just recently finished construction on our 30,000 sq. ft. crawfish and seafood facility behind Boyd’s. We are still setting it all up but that’s where we’ll bag and process our live Louisiana crawfish. Currently, we sell quite a bit of wholesale seafood to the H-E-B chain of grocery stores. We are very involved with them and ship an awful lot of crawfish to their San Antonio hub. They distribute to the stores near there and we deliver direct to many of the Houston area H-E-B locations. This also includes some large table shrimp and quite a few blue crab.
Once the processing facility is up and running and in good shape, our next phase is to build a new Boyd’s storefront, similar to a ‘mini Bucees.’ This would also include a huge tackle area and a large variety of bait, more than what we even offer now. We’ll also have a large restaurant that could seat up to 200 guests.
Tell me some of the methods/baits/tactics that make an angler successful on the Texas City Dike
When folks first come to the Dike, and they haven’t done too much homework or talked with people who fish it regularly, it can be kind of upsetting, in that the Dike is unforgiving. There are a lot of rocks under the water, especially on the Texas City channel side. For the first few miles of the Dike it’s not too bad, but as you get towards the end, you have to be able to cast out a good 30 yards or so to get past that rock line and to a good bottom. Then you either reel in as fast as you can to check your bait or if you’re fighting a fish you try to get it up as high in the water column as you can. That’s for the bigger fish like bull reds, big drum, jackfish, stingray and a few occasional sharks.
For speckled trout, most folks use popping corks during the daytime to keep live shrimp suspended above the rocks. Some guys will toss lures and do well too. At night time during the speck season, a lot of people will use lights and generators and fish them with live shrimp or lures like tandem speck rigs or glow-in-the-dark plastics.
Another reason I take pride in the Texas City Dike Fishing Group is that we are able to help newcomers catch fish. We treat everyone as an individual and I really stress friendship and camaraderie with that group.
David Fremont is no stranger to big flounder.
What is your favorite fish to catch?
Hands down flounder. That’s because I love to eat them and they’re just fun to catch. And for an old man like me, you don’t have to work that hard for them. You just get you some live finger mullet or a Gulp or lure of your choice, and either jig it around the pilings or rocks, or you can throw it out and let it sit and just relax. For many years, it was a toss up between flounder and speckled trout for me, but in my later years, I must say I really do love flounder.
I’m a flounder man myself. Do you have an all-time favorite fishing moment or experience?
I do and it makes me think of Gene Boyd because of the way he taught me about customers and getting folks excited about fishing. Before Hurricane Ike, maybe 15 years ago, it was spring break and I was out there fishing on the Dike with the big rods for bull reds and whatever would bite. A car pulls up near me and three kids jump out, early teens or preteens, and they come out near my rods and start throwing rocks in the water. I wasn’t too crazy about that.But as I got to looking at them and the daddy trying to corral them I thought, “Hey man they’re just like me when I was that age.”
As luck would have it, one of my rods bent over so I hollered over to the kids “Hey you wanna wrestle a big fish?”
So they made a beeline, came running over and took turns fighting it. I thank the good Lord because they were able to bring in a real nice bull red. They were so happy, but not as happy as the daddy was; he was blown away!
In the course of about three hours, I counted 18 bull reds and black drum that we caught. Wore those kids out! Wore me and the daddy out too. Before they left, he told me, “You saved my life. It’s Spring Break and we came all the way from Oklahoma to Galveston Island but the beach was a washout with the weather. So I heard about the Texas City Dike, never been here before, but rolled on down and here you are. You put those boys on the fish of a lifetime and they will remember that forever.”
David saved the Spring Break of these three boys when he put them on fish after big fish.
That’s great story! Aside from fishing, what else are you passionate about?
I like taking pictures and most of the time it does involve fishing or family. But I like to share photographs of the Dike, fishing and the areas around Texas City. It’s all about keeping people excited about fishing. I like it when someone catches their first fish on the dike and shares it, or they catch their personal best.
Is there anything you want to talk about that I haven’t asked you about?
Boyd’s had its first annual Crawfest last year, and we’ve already got another one scheduled for March 30-31 at the base of the Dike. The City works with us on that and we’re very excited about it. I could talk about it all on and on.
I’m happy for you and your business and your endeavor with the magazine. All I can say is let’s get together and go fishing some time. Let’s catch a flounder!
On-the-water racing action during the 2019 Mermaid Regatta held at the Houston Yacht Club. Photo by Dmitriy Yegorov
By Babs Bukowski, DPH, RN
Houston Yacht Club recently held the Mermaid Regatta – a women’s only race. HYC is the only known yacht club at this time to have a Spinnaker fleet in a women’s only regatta. The downwind leg had 17- to 19-knot winds and boat speeds of more than nine knots.
Winner: Allie Cribbs, helmswoman of S/V Pesto, a J 105, in the Spinnaker class.
Second place: Lisa Cushing driving S/V #77, J92.
Three minutes and 3 seconds separated these two racers.
Joining Allie Cribbs on the Mermaid throne winning the perpetual trophy were:
Nicole Laster, racing S/V Bad Girl, a Cal 33-2, PHRF Non-Spinnaker. She was 2 seconds ahead of her next competitor.
Nancy Welch driving, S/V Mischief, a Catalina 380, HYC Club Handicap. Nancy won same class in 2018.
In sum, there was the 1st spinnaker competition, a photo finish (NS), and repeat winner (Club Handicap)… MER-mazing!
More than 100 women were on-the-water representing at least 12 local, national, and international sailing/yacht clubs. Sailors traveled from Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois, Louisiana, Florida, Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Following is a list of six upcoming women’s races for 2019:
May 11, the off-shore Mermaid division of HYC’s Offshore Regatta
June 1, GBCA’s in-shore Women’s Regatta
June 15, HYC’s in-shore Catherine Spiller Race
June 16, HYC’s in-shore Fairfax Moody Race
Sept. 28, TASS’ in-shore Carol Becker Race
Oct 10-13 LYC’s off-shore Harvest Moon Regatta’s, Luna Trophy
When extreme winds make the bay unfishable you might find me doing some bass fishing.
By Brandon Rowan
The high tides and strong winds of spring can create some real challenging conditions on the bay and in the marsh. Tired of fighting the wind? Look inland and hit the lake or local pond for some of the best bass fishing of the year.
3 Phases of Bass Fishing
PRE-SPAWN
This period occurs during late winter and early spring. As temperatures rise, bass move from deeper water and stage near the shallows. Bass begin feeding in anticipation of the spawn and can typically be found on submerged cover in creek channels or the first drop off from the flats.
SPAWN
Bass move to the shallowest areas to spawn. Beds are easily identified as circular areas cleared of most vegetation. You’ll find a mating pair, very protective of the area and ready to bite. This is one of the easiest times of the year to catch a bass.
POST-SPAWN
Immediately following the spawn, bass leave their beds. Big females are lethargic as they recover, but are susceptible to reaction lures or slow sinking lures too tempting to pass up. Find them on cover or laydowns just off the shallows. As we get closer to summer, bass start feeding to replenish their energy lost during the spawn.
This nice bass couldn’t pass up a Texas rigged Baby Brush Hog. Photo by Brandon Rowan.
Lures & Tactics
These lure selections will get you on the right track to catching some bass this spring.
Strike King KVD 1.5 square bill crankbaits in Bluegill and Chili Craw.
SQUARE BILL CRANKBAIT
The square bill crankbait is shallow diving lure with an erratic wobble and random searching action. It can be successful throughout the entire spring bass season. When waters warm in early spring, bass begin feeding more aggressively in anticipation of the spawn. Find these fish near, or just off the shallow flats and protected coves. Colors like red and orange are a good choice as crawfish start becoming more active and are a favorite forage of bass.
During the spawn when fish are shallow and protective of beds, fish a bluegill or bream pattern. Bluegill are notorious egg thieves and bass will often annihilate this threat with vicious strikes.
After the spawn, big females will move away from the extreme shallows to recover. These fish are lethargic but can be provoked into a reaction bite. Burn bright colored crankbaits through areas just off the flats. Crashing the lure into brush or stumps and pausing is another great method to entice bites. The square bill shape is excellent at deflecting off cover.
3/8 oz Z-man Chatterbait in Green Pumpkin Purple with a Lake Fork Trophy Lures Live Magic Shad in Watermelon Red/Pearl Belly as a trailer.
CHATTERBAITS
Chatterbaits are extremely versatile baits that produce big bass. They have the flash of a spinnerbait, profile of a jig and vibration of a crankbait. They also excel in waters that have been muddied by spring rains.
The most popular retrieve is straight and steady, fished just above the bottom. But the possibilities are endless – you can use a stop-and-go retrieve, bump it into cover like a squarebill or drag and jig it slowly across a bed.
This is another lure that can imitate a variety of forage depending on colors and trailers. Colors like green pumpkin and bluegill/bream work great in the spring. Choose soft plastic swimbaits or creature/craw baits for more bulk and action. I like a Super Fluke Jr. when I want a more subtle tail wag. Single and double tail grubs are popular choices as well.
Left: Berkley Havoc Pit Boss in Junebug. Rig on 4/0 EWG hook. Right: Zoom Baby Brush Hog in Watermelon Red. Rig on 2/0 EWG or normal worm hook.
CREATURE BAITS
Texas rigged creature baits are a solid choice when sight fishing bass on beds. Two of my favorites are the Berkley Havoc Pit Boss and Zoom’s Baby Brush Hog, although a lizard is also a great option too. Bass don’t take kindly to these strange invaders trespassing on their nests. Sometimes they bite aggressively for the kill, but other times bite lightly to pick up and remove the invader. The compact size of most creature baits can lead to better hook-up ratios when bass are biting light.
Another advantage of using soft plastics is the ease in which you can change lures and colors if fish aren’t interested in your initial offering. Make your first cast beyond the bed and work your way into it. Experiment with retrieves until bass react, keeping your lure on the bed as long as you can.
Zoom Trick Worm in Green Pumpkin, Gary Yamamoto 5″ Senko in Watermelon Red and Green, and a Zoom Super Fluke in Baby Bass.
WEIGHTLESS SOFT PLASTICS
Weightless plastics can be tremendous for sight fishing beds when nothing else seems to produce. This is a slower fishing method so I save it for when all else fails. Senkos, Super Flukes and Trick Worms are all good picks when you want to hover and slow sink something above a bed.
Senkos, Texas rigged weightless or wacky, are also great to flutter past sluggish bass in the early post-spawn stage.
3/8 oz Strike King Hack Attack Jig in Green Pumpkin Craw. Trailer: Havoc Pit Boss in California.
JIGS
Pitching or flipping jigs is a time-tested bass fishing approach that is responsible for many big fish. Choose a jig you can work around heavy cover like the Strike King Hack Attack Jig. Minimal movements create action from your soft plastic trailer and flutter around the silicone skirt. This is important when you’re trying to agitate bedding bass or maximize time on a bed or in the strike zone.
Jigs are also great for probing cover and laydowns during the post spawn period. Use lighter finesse jigs or swim jigs with big trailers for suspended fish and heavier jigs if bass are closer to the bottom.
Capt. Steve Soule caught this nice red while fly fishing with Capt. Clay Daniel Sheward.
Spring on the upper Texas coast brings warming temperatures, to both air and water. We have longer daylight periods and typically much more sunshine, accompanied by vigorous winds and choppy bays. It also is the time when multiple food sources return to our bay waters and shallows, flowing new life into areas of the bays that may have seemed desolate and devoid of life during the winter. The combination of springtime transitional patterns and occurrences can, and often do, confuse and complicate the plans of bay anglers.
TEMPERATURE
This time of the year, we are still in a back and forth battle with passing cold fronts and swinging temperatures, though the greater trend is warming. With this in mind, we often have to change plans based on temperature. It is key to remember that as air temperatures drop below those of the water, fish will tend to move slightly deeper, and as air warms to temperatures greater than water, they tend to move shallow. This is in part due to the comfort level of the predators, but to an even larger degree, this pattern has to do with following their food sources.
Let’s throw in a little twist to this generalization. The bottom make up of the bay areas that you fish can also play a large role in temperature as well as comfort and availability of food sources for predators. Soft or darker colored mud bottom, especially in relatively shallow water will warm faster on sunny days. This can create comfort zones for both bait species and predators alike. So, as much as we watch temperatures, we also need to be aware of the amount of sun and bay floor make up to help focus our efforts on productive areas.
The longer days in spring trigger spawning activity for many species of fish.
INCREASING SUNLIGHT
Photo period is an often overlooked part of transitional periods throughout the year. Photo period, the number of hours of daylight versus night, triggers many things beyond the obvious additional heating of the water temperature. It’s well known that this is one of the triggers for spawning periods of fish. It also plays a large role in the timing of baitfish and other prey species returning to various areas of the bays. Coincidental timing I suppose, but since most all plant life requires sunlight to grow, its a well timed natural occurrence for the return or emergence of many of the smaller fish and crustaceans right when their food sources become more prevalent. Here’s an interesting thought about photo period and longer hours of daylight during spring. Even at the same daily temperature, longer days will yield greater warming than shorter days. This helps with the overall warming trend even on days when temps aren’t significantly warmer, purely because of the extended hours of daylight.
COMPARING SPRING & FALL
Keeping in mind that this is a transitional season, spring is one that requires more patience compared to fall. During our fall transition, the bays are at the peak of life, with numerous prey species readily available and in abundance. Much of the activity in fall centers around the mass migrations and attempted exodus from the shallows first,and then from deeper waters. Because the triggers for feeding are falling temperature, photo period decrease and changes in wind and tide, the ensuing patterns become fairly predictable.
In spring, things just don’t happen all at once. There are many factors that affect the return of bait species, and unfortunately, they don’t all happen at the same time. There are counter forces that can slow and change the timing of when they occur. With many of the returning species of bait, we are dependent on favorable offshore conditions along with onshore wind flow to bring them into the bays. Some, on the other hand must move to more open water from deeper inland, in creeks and bayous. Timing and location of these events is different every year.
THE WIND
In spring, wind plays a huge role in many ways. Wind can have an obvious effect on the location and supply of many smaller prey animals. As much as heavy south or southeast winds can make our fishing days challenging, these are much needed to speed the return of many offshore species to the bays. Even though the exact timing and amount of any given species hitting certain areas of the bays is very unpredictable, there are some things we can count on nearly every year.
The gulf passes and outlets will be the first to see many species and typically in the greatest quantities. Shortly after, the adjacent shorelines and nearby structures will gradually blossom with new life. Similarly, the upper reaches of the bays will begin to see an increase in bait flows that seek slightly higher salinities returning from low salinity areas up creeks and bayous. These are great starting points in our search for fish, knowing that these areas will consistently have the earliest increases in food supply for the predators that we seek.
Beyond the challenges of finding fish, springtime winds can make fishing unpleasant, difficult and often unsafe. Some quick thoughts on wind; how it effects fish and anglers when it comes to deciding where to fish. Logic tells us that wind can move many of the small species, especially when it works in unison with tides. Winds can drive schools of small bait to wind blown shorelines, and make movement or escape from predators very difficult. This can and will create something of a buffet line for predators who can more easily move and prey upon small species.
These shorelines are often overlooked, and some days they should be for safety. North and west shorelines that see the brunt of the spring winds are great under moderate wind days and days following hard onshore wind flows. On the days that the winds are just too high to fish these areas, it makes much more sense to fish protected shores. Again, look for the shorelines and areas that are nearer to gulf passes or upper reaches of the bays where creek flows will deposit concentrations of food.
Keep in mind that spring winds often can create more than just a comfort problem for anglers, but often a safety concern, making certain areas just not worth the effort or risk to fish.
Topwaters and plugs that imitate mullet are good choices at the start of spring. Downsize to smaller lures later in spring when predators are keying in on newly hatched baitfish.
LURES FOR SPRING
I couldn’t talk this much about springtime transition and food sources without mentioning what types of lures to throw and some timing aspects to consider. This is one of the best times to fish bigger mullet imitations, especially topwater baits, but you will often need to be patient to find success. Timing is often the key here, tides and moon position can make a big difference in getting bites.
As much as I would love to do nothing but throw topwater lures, some days you have to scale down and get lower in the water column to get bites. If you find yourself surrounded by smaller baitfish, it can be well worth the time to try some small plastic swimming tails on lighter jig heads. There are also times when only very light or natural colored baits work when all else fails. Matching the hatch isn’t always necessary but getting close to the size can help.
Something else fun to try during spring are lipped twitch baits, like those from Rapala and Bomber. The erratic darting action and slow rise or suspension on the pause can often be the trigger to get stubborn fish to bite.
TACTICS
Though spring can present challenges in many ways, it can bring equal rewards for those who pull together the many puzzle pieces. Watching tides and winds and planning accordingly can put you in the midst of schools of fish hungrily feasting on ever increasing supplies of small food.
Be prepared to adjust your plans, be thorough in your search and coverage of areas. If you are in an area that you feel sure there are fish, don’t be afraid to stick around and adjust your tactics. Some days a lure change can make all the difference.
Don’t let failure in one spot prevent you from trying other areas, and make great notes about areas that are showing abundant food. Many times the food sources will show before the predators, and knowing this will provide you with great fishing areas to return to later.
Great atmosphere, great music, great food.A great dining experience is when you can go into a restaurant and feel warm and welcome as if you are just part of the family.
“We try to make sure that we make you feel like you’re coming to Grandma’s house,” Delana ‘Mama D’ Gilland, General Manager of Flippers Coastal Seafood said.
Flippers focuses on Cajun and comfort food, as well as providing high quality service that will keep you coming back to try everything on the menu.Of course, they do offer more than seafood for those who don’t eat from the ocean.
“It’s not just seafood that we have.We have chicken tenders and the freshest salads you’ll ever want to taste,” Mama D said.
Owner Gernisha Compton is the oldest of seven, and has been cooking since she was very young.She comes from a Louisiana background, and all of her food is made with love. According to Mama D, this is the secret to good food.
Flippers is a place that offers something for the whole family and doesn’t want anyone to be excluded.They make sure everyone can find something good here, and make you want to keep coming back.
“We don’t want to single out anyone,” Mama D said, “people sometimes don’t bring their kids to places to eat, because they have smaller kids, so we engage in that.”
Although offering other options, the seafood might be the shining star of the menu.Proteins are offered with the option to come fried, grilled or blackened, and according to Mama D, you can’t go wrong with any of it. But what is it that she would recommend?
“I say my favorite is the shrimp etouffee platter” Mama D said, “You get the etouffee, you get a side of another protein which is the catfish, the oysters, whatever.”
She says that the biggest sellers on the menu include crawfish (in season, of course), the Choose Two Platter which, offers your choice of two meats and two side, and the new appetizer, the crawfish fries.It isn’t just the main dishes on the menu that will keep you wanting more, though.The side items include perfectly golden-brown fried okra, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside hushpuppies, and possibly some of the best dirty rice on this side of town.
Flippers opened a year ago on Sept. 24 and they are already getting people hooked.
“We’re to the point where we can put their order in, all they have to say is ‘the usual’,” she said.
Flippers Coastal Seafood serves amazing desserts, including this massive rum cake!
And don’t forget about dessert! They have a huge rum cake, a decadent toffee pie and creamy banana pudding, all made in store, just to name a few.
Flippers Coastal Seafood is located at 628 FM 517 in Dickinson, between I-45 and 646, in the same strip as TJ Reeds.
“Come see us.You’ll get to justify everything I say,” Mama D concluded.
As sea life perks up from the winter water cool down, March is a good month for black drum, speckled trout, redfish and more. With fresh ingredients, you can make magical combinations that are healthy and interesting.
Gulf coast shrimp is arguably the most flavorful in the world, and many people’s favorite shellfish. Below are two colorful recipes which will intrigue your palate and delight your family or guests.
Fresh Chili-Lime Gulf Shrimp Romaine Wraps
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro.
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Romaine lettuce, for serving
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yoghurt
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, stir together shrimp, cumin, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until combined, then let marinate in the fridge 10 minutes.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add shrimp and marinade, cook until pink, 2 minutes per side.
Assemble wraps: Add shrimp and avocado to lettuce, drizzle with sour cream/Greek yoghurt.
Pairs well with your favorite beer,or sauvignon blanc.
Fresh Fish Lettuce Wraps with Mango Salsa
MANGO SALSA
1 ripe mango, diced into small pieces
2 Tablespoons of red onion, minced
2 mini red bell peppers, chopped small
1 Tablespoon jalapeño pepper, minced
1-2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of one lemon.
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, gently. Salsa is best made ahead, and chilled for an hour or so for flavors to meld together.
FISH INGREDIENTS
12-16 ounces fresh catch filets of your choice (salmon works well too)
juice of one lemon
1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter if sautéing
salt and pepper to taste.
DIRECTIONS
Grill on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily. If sautéing, cook for similar time, turning once half way through. Let fish cool for a few minutes before assembling, tearing fish into bite size pieces.
EXTRAS
1/2-1 avocado chopped
1 to 2 heads Butter or Romain lettuce leaves, rinsed, drained, and dried.
ASSEMBLING
Place desired amount of fish onto a lettuce leaf, top with salsa, avocado, and more cilantro as garnish, if desired.
Justin Clinfton caught a mixed bag fishing with his brother and two daughters.
I ended my last article with me taking a trip to the warm waters and sunny beaches of Central America. It was perfect timing, as a strong cold front hit the Upper Texas Coast on the day of my departure. The forecast called for freezing temperatures, which never materialized. That was a blessing, for many states experienced their coldest temperatures in years. It is now the first week of February, as I write this article. It has been a typical winter so far on the Upper Coast; rain, wind, some cold days and lots of fog! Hopefully, we dodge any severe freezes. The old Groundhog predicts a early spring. But he has only been right around 38% of the time, about as good as our weather forecaster’s on the local news! So, what can we expect for March and April?
Starting the first week of March is the annual “Fishing Show” at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. The show runs from March 6 – 10. There will be everything about fishing under one roof; tackle, new products for the angler, boats, fishing charters and daily seminars. I will be at The Eagle Point Fishing Camp booth throughout the show. On Sunday March 10 around noon, I will be conducting a seminar on “Everything Galveston Bay, Where and When.” Come out to “ The Fishing Show,” you will not be disappointed!
Previously, some of you might have read about Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) proposing to reduce the bag limit of speckled trout along the Upper Coast. The five fish limit for trout started along the Lower Coast first and was extended to the Middle Coast a few years ago. During the TPWD commissioner’s meeting this past January, they agreed to proceed with voting on regulation changes during the next meeting. They seek to extend the daily five fish trout limit statewide. The vote for this regulation and some others will take place in Austin during the next commissioner’s meetingMarch 19-20. You will be allowed to address the commissioners during the meeting on March 20.
TPWD will be holding statewide hearings about the proposed regulation changes. I advise everyone to attend one of these hearings. You will be given a chance to verbally speak and share your opinion about the proposed regulations. You may also write or email TPWD. One can keep abreast of local hearing dates and times by watching The Galveston Bay Fishing Show on Facebook and Youtube, live from Eagle Point Fishing Camp every Thursday.
Now for the fishing this March and April, I will personally concentrate my effort in East Galveston Bay. Last year the fishing was very good when the weather cooperated. Along the granite rocks known as the Galveston jetties, the Black Drum run will be in full force. Sheepshead, redfish and speckled trout will also be there for the taking. If the wind blows from the South-Southwest, fishing along the base of the Dike up to Moses Lake should produce speckled trout along with black drum. Also, don’t over look the shorelines around Eagle Point. Sometimes the fishing can be really good in spring around the pilings on those shorelines. Just a reminder for those that launch under the Kemah Bridge; those ramps have been closed. Eagle Point Fishing Camp is not far down the road and has a nice three lane ramp and is a full service fishing facility with live bait.
Buggy Whippin: Galveston sight casting with Capt. Clay Sheward
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