Galveston Bay Bacteria After the Storms

David Bulliner, GBF’s Volunteer Lab Assistant, processes a sample to measure the bacteria concentration present.

Galveston Bay Foundation Water Quality Monitors Find High Concentrations of Galveston Bay Bacteria After Floods.

By Galveston Bay Foundation Staff

Over the past few months, there has been more rain than usual in the Houston-Galveston area – more than 13 inches above average, to be exact.

And as water from heavy rainfalls sweeps through the streets, urban runoff gets carried along and ends up in Galveston Bay.

“During major storm events, water will run down the streets taking anything left on the ground including sources of bacteria like pet waste, fertilizers, and even sewage,” Sarah Gossett, Galveston Bay Foundation Water Quality Volunteer Coordinator said.

She said stormwater management systems are designed to move water into waterways as quickly as possible, meaning most of our stormwater doesn’t pass through natural vegetative barriers that would help absorb water and filter out pollution. Instead, it tends to increase the bacteria entering our waterways and impacts the saltiness of our Bay.

Gossett said major influxes of rain also cause sewer overflows from damaged or clogged sewage pipes.

Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF), a local nonprofit organization that strives to preserve and protect Galveston Bay, oversees a team of 47 volunteer water quality monitors who collect samples from 48 sites around Galveston Bay. The spikes in bacteria concentrations their samples have found after recent storms have been significant. Many sites sampled had higher than normal bacteria concentrations, some three times or more than EPA recreation standards for swimming.

“While some sites see higher concentrations of bacteria more frequently than others, every location is at risk after a major rain,” Gossett said.

GBF’s 2015 Report Card evaluates the state of the Bay and gave recreational safety an “A” grade for the Bay. Galveston Bay is generally safe to swim in, though GBF recommends avoiding swimming along the shoreline after a heavy rainfall.

“Our main concern is for the safety of people, and the Bay of course,” said Dave Bulliner, GBF Volunteer Lab Technician.

Bulliner said it was typical for bacteria concentrations to be highest during the summer. When he finds an abnormally high concentration of bacteria, he contacts Gossett who has a volunteer collect another sample from that location. If bacteria levels remain high, Gossett notifies the proper decision-makers to recommend preventative measures for the future. To learn more about the current bacteria levels around Galveston Bay, visit www.galvbay.org/citizenscience.

Another water quality parameter that has been impacted by the recent heavy rainfalls is the salinity, or saltiness, of Galveston Bay has decreased dramatically.

“Salinity is everything to the Bay,“ said Paula Paciorek, GBF’s Water Resources Coordinator. “If salinity levels are too low or too high, we can immediately observe a decline in oyster populations and an increase in their predators and diseases, which brings the whole Bay off balance.”

How you can reduce runoff in our waterways:

Join GBF’s Water Quality Monitoring Team

Be informed about water quality issues in your area. To learn more about the water quality or to help protect the water quality in Galveston Bay, visit www.galvbay.org/watermonitors.

Pump Don’t Dump

If you have a head on board your boat, make sure that you and your fellow boaters pump out your sewage instead of dumping it into the water. Visit www.pumpdontdump.org to learn more and find the nearest pump-out station.

Report Pollution

Report any pollution you see to the Galveston Bay Action Network, an online pollution reporting service provided by the Galveston Bay Foundation. Reports are automatically sent to the proper authority for clean-up. Visit www.galvbay.org/GBAN to report pollution.

Cease the Grease

Be wary of what you put down the drain. Cooking fats, oils and grease can clog pipes and cause sanitary sewer overflows. Instead, recycle or throw out your cooking grease. Visit www.ceasethegrease.net to learn more.

Water-Conscious Landscaping

Install a Rain Barrel, plant with native plants, and create your very own rain garden. Rain barrels can be placed at downspouts or downpours from the roof in order to reduce runoff and flooding, help conserve freshwater and reduce pollution from reaching Galveston Bay. Visit www.galvbay.org/rainbarrel for more information.

Hot Weather, Hot Galveston Fishing

By Capt. David Dillman

Spec-tacular Trout Adventures | 832-228-8012

The dog days of Summer are upon us along the Upper Coast. July and August are the warmest months of the year. Typically, winds are light and the temperatures can climb toward the 100 degree mark. Galveston fishing can be just as hot, but heat related health problems are a concern. I have personally suffered problems from the heat of our Texas summer. It should not be taken lightly.

Here are a few tips I can offer to combat heat related illness. Prevention is the key!

Wear light colored and loose fitting clothing. I prefer lightweight 100 percent cotton clothing.
Keep hydrated. Drink lots of water. Sport drinks are fine such as Gatorade, Powerade, etc…but always follow the 2:1 rule. One sports drink then 2 bottles of water.
Avoid energy drinks, soda and alcohol. These drinks dehydrate you!
If you find yourself not sweating, this is a serious sign of heat exhaustion. Seek a cool shaded area immediately. Slowly start to consume cool water. Something cool can be applied to the neck area. If symptoms worsen, seek medical attention.

On the fishing side, July and August are excellent months to catch speckled trout. As I type, Galveston Bay had its second influx of fresh water this year. The Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers both released lots of water downstream. Hopefully we have seen the last of the torrential rains this year. During July/August deep water structure will be the key to locating schools of Speckled Trout. The oyster reefs along the channel from markers 52-62 will yield good catches of trout. The adjacent gas wells known as the “Exxon A-Lease” will hold fish. These wells produce nice catches every year during this period.

As we move towards the second week of August, Trinity Bay should start seeing improved catches coming from the numerous wells and deep water shell reefs. The fishing in Trinity has been almost non-existent since the April floods.

Eagle Point Fishing Camp provides easy access to the channel, wells and Trinity Bay. With ample parking, a three lane boat ramp, fuel and live bait, they provide all that anglers need for a great day of fishing. Remember to be courteous on the water. Tight Lines!

Fresh Food Recipes For Energy and Hydration

By Betha Merit

When it’s hot outside, cool food options sound very appealing to everyone; especially the chef. Many fruits are in season, fresh and local, and creative ideas abound. From watermelon pizzas to main dish chicken and fruit salads, the colorful presentations are a visual delight. The ingredients in the following recipes can be prepared ahead, measured and stored in baggies until meal prep time.

Another heat inspired practice is to stay well hydrated. Water is much more fun when you add sliced fruit, veggies, and/or herbs. You can use bottled water, tap water or sparkling water, depending on your preference. Ice is optional. Here are some favorites:

lemon slices with fresh basil leaves
strawberry slices with fresh mint leaves
cucumber slices with squeeze of lime juice
grapes (red, green, etc., sliced)
orange slices
grapefruit slices
raspberries

Try adding a sprinkle of dried herbs/spices, whole fresh herbs, or even muddle the fresh herbs to make their flavor more pungent. Blend the waters fresh before use or make ahead in jars or pitchers to enhance the flavors.

Curried Chicken and Fruit Salad

3 cups cooked, diced chicken or 2 large cans chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/2 lb. seedless red grapes, sliced
8 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. soy sauce

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Combine mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients; spoon over chicken mixture and toss gently. Cover and chill at least 4 hours. Serve salad over spring greens or sliced cantaloupe wedges.

Savory Watermelon Pizza with Arugula

One 1/2-inch-thick slice seedless watermelon, rind intact
1/4 cup arugula
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon walnut oil

Sprinkle the arugula, feta, and walnuts evenly over the watermelon slice. Drizzle with the honey and then the walnut oil. Slice into pizza wedges for serving.

Fruity Watermelon Pizza

One 1/2 inch-thick slice seedless watermelon, rind intact in a full circle
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 nectarine in small slices
2 sliced kiwis
1/2 cup sliced red seedless grapes

Drizzle the honey over watermelon, then layer the rest of fruit pieces in order. Slice into pizza wedges for serving.

Sailing Champion and Teacher, Dave Perry

Interview by Charles Milby

Dave Perry grew up sailing on Long Island Sound at the Pequot Yacht Club. If you’re familiar with this part of the country then you know they have some great sailing clubs. Larchmont Yacht Club and Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club are just a couple of places people gather to race sailboats on the weekends all summer long. In this competitive environment Dave Perry honed his sailing skills and got the reputation as a darn good junior sailor. His next stop was Yale University where he was an All American for two years, 1975 and 1977.

After college Dave kept up his now famous working and racing schedule. He is a five time U.S. Matching Racing Champion, and two time Congressional Cup winner. In 1992 Dave was voted into the Sailing World Hall of Fame. He doesn’t seem be slowing down at all unless he is setting a mark trap for you, so be ready.

Dave is a husband, author, and a good teacher. He wrote the North U Rules and Tactics Seminar Workbook, Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing through 2016, and Winning in One Designs, which I just finished and highly recommend.

Dave, along with his wife Betsy, recently made a trip to Texas to run a team racing seminar at the Texas Corinthian Yacht Club. They both were so friendly and fun that we hated to see them go. If Gary Jobson is the heart and voice of US Sailing then Dave is the soul of US Sailing. He has that unique ability to break down complicated sailing rules into a language that the rest of us can understand. Dave is busy these days and hard to pin down but he was kind enough to answer a few questions on the sport of competitive sailing, we hope you like them.

Where did you grow up and how did you get started racing sailboats?

I grew up in Southport, Conn., where sailing and racing is very popular. My dad was a big sailor, and I was heavily involved with the Pequot Yacht Club junior program.

I know you’re a big fan of Buddy Melges; who else was a big influence on your early sailing career?

As a kid it was my Dad and my sailing instructors. In college I became aware of Paul Elvstrom, whose books I love. And then my sailing peers were big influences, such as Peter Isler and Peter Commette.

You’re a big man; You must have played a lot of sports growing up. What was it about racing sailboats that turned you on?

I love sailing. I love being on the water. I love the challenge and feel of making a boat go fast. I love games, and sailboat racing combines my love of sailing and my love of games.

I really enjoyed attending the Team Race seminar you did at the Texas Corinthian Yacht Club. While you were lecturing you mentioned the 3 P’s, what are they and why are they important in racing sailboats?

Patience – Frustration shuts down the objective thinking in our brain. Frustration and blame are unpleasant emotions to be around in others. It takes a long time to prepare a feast. Sailing is difficult, and there are many variables, many of which are out of our control. You need to be able to stay objective and focused despite distractions and set-backs.

Perseverance – Hang in there….races are long, series are long, it’s a sport for a lifetime.

Positive – It is just better and more pleasant to be positive, and to be around – and do things with – people who are positive.

The US Olympic sailing team will be heading off to Brazil soon. How do you like our teams chances of winning a few medals?

I like them. We have some strong 470 teams (men and women), and some strong singlehanded sailors (Laser men and women, and Finn). We also have some strong 49er and Nacra teams. It will be exciting to see if they can put together the regattas of their lives.

Why is it so hard to stay focused when you’re driving a sailboat in a race and how do you accomplish it?

I don’t think it’s hard at all. I think some drivers lose their focus because they try to tell everyone on the boat how to do their job. I try to sail with people who know how to do their job. Some get distracted by adversities (wrong side of the beat, etc.). I try to pass boats wherever I am in the race…for the fun of it.

What do you do with a drunken sailor?

I can’t remember…

Texas Flounder Regulations Proving Successful

Garrett Blumenshine with a 20-inch flounder he caught using a Berkley Gulp! Pearl White Shrimp.

By Capt. Joe Kent

Anglers around the Galveston Bay Complex have reported excellent catches of flounder this past winter and the action is getting better as the water warms and days get longer. This is a refreshing change from not too long ago when sportsmen were concerned about the drop off in catches.

Prior to the turn of the century, our flounder stocks were showing serious decline in both numbers and quality of fish. Liberal bag limits and no season restrictions were taking their toll on one of the most popular saltwater fish.
A bold and unpopular move on the part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department several years ago has proven to be just what the stocks of flounder needed. Before we take a look at the changes that took place, let’s go back and see what was happening before the enactment.

flounder conner Texas Flounder Regulations Proving Successful

Max Conner, age 14, of Galveston with a chunky flounder.

Flounder have always been one of the top choices of a large number of fishermen all along the Gulf Coast. Flounder gigging especially was a popular way to bring good quantities of meat to the table in a short time span.
Prior to the changes, anglers could go out gigging after dark and take a day’s limit of 10 flounder before midnight and afterwards take another day’s limit of 10 as the possession limit was a two-day bag limit.

While mostly flounder giggers were the ones to reap the benefit of the liberal daily limits, pole and line fishermen would at times find concentrations of flounder stacked up around passes and also take advantage of the quantities.
Arguably, the most popular and productive time to fish for flounder, whether by conventional rod and reel or by gigging, was during the annual migration in the fall. During this time the flat fish stack up in huge numbers along the pathways to the Gulf of Mexico and are easy targets.

This is when I first noticed a problem. Prior to the 1990’s, quality flounder would be easy to catch at my favorite spots along the Galveston Ship Channel, but toward the end of the 80’s and early 90’s it became more difficult for the average angler to catch more than just a few flounder. During that era the size was also noticeably smaller as well.
Sportsmen were becoming well aware of the problem and so was the staff at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

As mentioned earlier, in a bold move the TPWD recommended an overhaul of the regulations. The changes, which were not popular with a large number of anglers, included reducing the of anglers, included reducing the daily bag limit from 10 to five and eliminating the two-day possession limit. Flounder gigging would be prohibited during the month of November and at the same time the daily bag limit was further reduced to two per person during November.

Fortunately for all anglers, the original thought of eliminating flounder fishing all together during November was compromised with the two-fish limits. The only size and bag limit regulation that remained was the 14-inch minimum size. So, after everyone cooled down following such as dramatic change, how is this all turning out?

First, during November, most fishermen, regardless of experience level, are now able to go out and take two flounder. Prior to the changes, there were a lot of empty stringers as the fish were scattered.

Now, let’s discuss what I consider the most noticeable effects. This past winter, there were more flounder caught during the winter months than I can ever recall. Some anglers say it is because we had a warm winter and the fish never migrated. We have had a number of warm winters in the recent past and we did not see this take place.

This spring we are getting reports from both the flounder gigging sportsmen and rod and reel anglers of large numbers of quality flounder in the bays. Occasionally reports coming in to the Galveston Daily News during March and April resembled November reports from the flounder run.

All I can say is that it points to the results of the overhaul in flounder regulations several years ago. Thanks to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for making the move!

34th Annual Shoe Regatta Results

J/22 Series Standing – 7 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 53, Southern Belle, Stuart Lindow, None, 2-3-3-3-4-1-3- ; 19
2. 388, USA 388, Michael McGagh, GBCA, 3-5-4-4-2-2-2- ; 22
3. 365, , Vincent Ruder, None, 4-1-1-12/OCS-3-4-1- ; 26T
4. 498, Classy with k, Robert Allen, None, 7-2-2-2-1-6-6- ; 26T
5. 1531, Parrot Tales Light, Larry Blankenhagen, LYC, 5-4-5-5-5-7-7- ; 38
6. 918, TILT, Christopher Morlan, Grosse Pointe Sail Club, 1-8-7-6-8-5-4- ; 39
7. 951, , Dov Kivlovitz, none, 6-7-12/DNS-1-6-3-5- ; 40
8. 732, Helms a Lee, Anne Lee, HYC, 8-6-6-9-9-8-9- ; 55
9. 973, WooHoo, Andrea Zaite, HYC, 11-10-9-8-7-9-8- ; 62
10. 392, Loose Cannon, Rick Duste, GBAC, 9-12/DNF-8-7-10-10-10- ; 66
11. 1271, Razzmatazz, Jaime Balzac, PUR, 10-9-10-10-11-11-12/DNS- ; 73

J/70 Series Standing – 7 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 34, perseverance, bennet greenwald, san diego yacht club, 5-1-5-2-6-6-2- ; 27
2. 175, , Matthew Romberg, Austin Yacht Club, 1-8-4-1-1-7-7- ; 29T
3. 51, Black River Racing, Doug Strebel, Lakewood Yacht Club, 6-5-1-4-2-1-10- ; 29T
4. 181, GB, Chris Lewis, LYC, 7-2-3-3-5-2-9- ; 31
5. 852, Hoss, Glenn Darden, Fort Worth Boat Club, 3-3-9-6-3-5-5- ; 34
6. 820, Nasty Baby, Rick Schaffer, Fort Worth Boat Club, 2-7-6-8-9-3-1- ; 36
7. 3, 3 Ball JT, Jack Franco, LIYC, 4-10-7-11-4-4-3- ; 43
8. 167, USA167, James Prendergast, Chicago Yacht Club, 9-4-2-7-8-9-6- ; 45
9. 497, Chinook, Frank McNamara, Eastern Yacht Club, 8-9-8-10-11-8-4- ; 58T
10. 850, Mojito, Forbes Durdin, LYC, 11-6-10-5-7-11-8- ; 58T
11. 98, usa98, Al Poindexter, lyc, 12-11-11-9-13-13-12- ; 81
12. 529, Bazinga, Robert Mcmahan, Lakewood YC, 10-12-12-15/DNS-12-10-11- ; 82
13. 530, ApolloJ, Bruno Vibert, HYC, 13-13-15/DNS-15/DNS-10-12-13- ; 91
14. 50, , Bruce McDonald, AYC, 15/DNC-15/DNC-15/DNC-15/DNC-15/DNC-15/DNC-15/DNC- ; 105

J/105 Series Standing – 6 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 296, Stinger, J B Bednar, LYC/GBCA, 3-1-1-1-1-5- ; 12
2. 624, Vici, John Barnett, Lakewood YC, 1-2-2-3-3-2- ; 13
3. usa378, infinity, Uzi Ozeri, LYC, 2-3-3-2-5-1- ; 16
4. 130, Tomahawk, Nat Kemberling, LYC, 4-4-6/DNS-5-4-3- ; 26
5. 649, Radiance, Bill Lakenmacher, LYC, 6/DNC-6/DNC-6/DNC-4-2-4- ; 28

J/109 Series Standing – 6 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 181, Hamburg, Albrecht Goethe, LYC, 1-2-1-2-2-1- ; 9
2. 162, Leading Edge, Tom Sutton, LYC/HYC/GBCA, 5/DNF-1-2-1-1-3- ; 13
3. 238, Airborne, David Christensen, LYC/GBCA, 2-3-5/DNS-3-3-2- ; 18
4. 45, Harm’s Way, Andy Wescoat, GBCA, 5/DNC-5/DNC-5/DNC-5/DNS-5/DNS-5/DNS- ; 30

Cruising Classic Canvas Non-Spin Distance Series Standing – 2 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 133, Stellar of Course, Ronald Eddleman, GBCA/TMCA, 1-1- ; 2
2. 792, Chloe, Grahame Gay, GBCA, 4/DNS-4/DNS- ; 8T
3. NA, Even Keel, Robert Terry, Bal Harbour, 4/DNF-4/DNS- ; 8T

PHRF N0n-spin Distance Series Standing – 2 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 785, Magnum, Dennis Kokkinis, GBCA, 1-1- ; 2
2. 1152, SEUTE DEERN, Hans Knickrehm, LYC, 2-2- ; 4
3. 17, GOOD NEWS, Ash Walker, LYC, 3-4- ; 7
4. 60120, Bad Girl, Nicole Laster, GBCA, 6-3- ; 9
5. 2966, Wildcat, Kevin Orff, LYC, 4-7/DNS- ; 11
6. 31707, Tanura, Tim Vogelsang, LYC, 5-7/DNS- ; 12

PHRF Spinnaker Distance A Series Standing – 2 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 25527, Picante, Tony/William Nunes/Plant, Houston yacht club, 1-1- ; 2
2. 178, Press to MECO, Glen Stromme, none, 2-2- ; 4
3. 3407, Renovation, Warren Miller, HYC, 5-3- ; 8T
4. 45, Figaro, Gerhard Wittich, LYC, 3-5- ; 8T
5. 21335, Firewater, Walter Horton, GBCA, 4-4- ; 8T

PHRF Spinnaker Distance B Series Standing – 2 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. 398, Flyer, Ben Miller, GBAC, 1-1- ; 2
2. 83076, FarFigNewton, David Nielsen, GBCA, 2-2- ; 4
3. 110, Restless, Robin Rice, Waterford, 4-3- ; 7T
4. 40645, Texas Ranger II, Chuck Wielchowsky, HYC, 3-4- ; 7T
5. 2342, Rodeo Clown, Jason Seibert, Seabrook, 5-5- ; 10

PHRF Spinnaker W/L Series Standing – 6 races scored

Pos,Sail, Boat, Skipper, Yacht Club, Results, Total Points
1. USA74, Second Star, J.D. Hill, LYC, 3-1-1-1-1-1- ; 8
2. US-51, Water Nymph lll, Brian Tulloch, HYC, 1-2-2-4-3-4- ; 16
3. 77, 77, George Cushing, GBCA, 2-3.5/TIE-3-5-2-5- ; 20.5
4. 5101, Pingo, Pedro Gianotti, GBCA, 4-3.5/TIE-5-2-5-2- ; 21.5
5. 31, Little Joe, Dan Sullivan, Southern Yacht Club, 5-6/DNS-4-3-4-3- ; 25

DSC 9678 34th Annual Shoe Regatta Results

Photo by Jimmie Rogers

National Hospice Regatta Alliance

The National Hospice Regatta Alliance held April 29 through May 1 st at Sea Scout Base Galveston was a big success. This annual championship helped raise much needed finds for hospice care throughout the United States. The Championship is an invitational regatta for sailors representing hospice regattas that are held in 25 U.S. communities and Toronto each year. This year’s event brought 12 teams to the island to compete in the Sonar class event. After 3 days of intense racing, a tie breaker decided the winner. The team from Haute de Grace, Yacht Club, Maryland, brought home the coveted “Virginia Brown Trophy”. The team from Nashville, Tennessee came in second, followed by Lake Norman, N.C. “We were delighted to bring the only national hospice charity sailing regatta to such a great facility in such a great sailing community,” said Tom Tomlinson, president of the National Hospice Regatta Alliance. That was surely evident as Galveston Community Sailing Center partnered up with HYC’s Jack Yoes and team who handled the R.C. and TCYC’s fleet captain, Pierce Owens who help arrange the loan of 6 additional Sonars.

“I am truly humbled by the amount of support we received from these two outstanding yacht clubs. They (HYC & TCYC) responded without hesitation to our every request. This speaks volumes to the spirit of these two clubs and makes us proud to be associated with them.” said Mike Janota, director of Galveston Community Sailing Center at SSBG.

Race Start National Hospice Regatta Alliance

Flounder Gigging Tips

By Brandon Rowan

Judging by this Spring, it appears we may have a banner year for flounder on our hands. I made multiple flounder gigging outings in March and April to Galveston’s West Bay and found more, and larger flounder than I have in the past five years. I believe this is thanks to the recent regulations enacted during November and December when these fish are most vulnerable. There were plenty big beds spotted and several fish found their way to my stringer. Find and gig the flatfish with these tips:

Which Tide?

Traditional wisdom says to gig right after a low tide but I often find a lot of fish during the outgoing tide, a few hours before its lowest point. Flounder move to the flats to intercept bait pushed from shorelines and drains. Fish gigged during this time were full of newly hatched shad. Be warned though, visibility can be trickier if the outgoing tide is particularly strong. It can be very hard to see beneath the moving water if you use a lantern as your light source, which brings me to my next point.

The gigging light on top was made with a mr16 LED bulb sealed in the PVC with a lexan lens and is powered by eight AA rechargeable batteries. The light on the bottom was made with a superbrightleds.com 10 watt IP68 marine light and is powered by a Tenergy 14.8v Li-Ion battery pack.

Light Em’ Up

Work toward building a submersible LED light out of PVC. Ripples on the bay’s surface will not disturb your visibility as badly compared to a lantern. You can purchase a pre-made gigging light but the web is full of plans and ideas for building your own. This 2cool thread in particular has some great information.

These light builds aren’t difficult and can be completed with a soldering iron, silicone sealant, light source, battery, PVC cement, PVC saw and of course, PVC. Lexan is required as a lens if you are waterproofing an LED module but there are several waterproof IP68 options out there like the 20 watt Eclipse from Oznium.com or this 2″ marine spotlight from Superbrightleds.com. Many connect their lights to an exterior 12v battery worn in a backpack or fanny pack but I prefer to connect to a rechargeable battery pack housed within the PVC.

Where Are They?

The south shoreline of Galveston’s West Bay has miles of suitable gigging territory. You’ll find flounder in a variety of different habitats and at different depths. I’ve gigged flounder in just inches of water, as well as knee-deep water. Pay attention when you come near a shell point. Flounder will hug close to the sides and backs of these. The shorelines along or outside a marsh drain are also great. Flounder stack up in these areas to feed on bait escaping the flow of the outgoing tide. Sandy flats between shell pads and reefs are also worth searching. Marshy areas near grass are also productive but can be tougher to navigate on foot due to soft mud bottoms. Be ready if you spot abundant baitfish, beds or even undersized flounder as there could be legal flounder close by.

Remember, the minimum length for flounder in Texas is 14 inches with a bag limit of five fish. It’s best to leave a flounder alone if it looks too close to this length. Better safe than sorry.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Moon

Many hesitate to gig under a full moon but don’t let that discourage you. I gigged four fish, up to 20 inches, in an hour’s time one night during April’s full moon. Wind speed (a light SE for West Bay) and tide should be the most important factors in selecting a night to gig. Use this link to check the tides in Texas, this link to see the marine forecast for the upper coast and this link to see current wind speed on Galveston Island.

Shell is Comfortable?

I gigged two good sized flounder this Spring laying directly on shell pads. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this and it probably won’t be the last. In fact, I once missed a personal best fish by hurrying past a heavy shell area while walking the flats. By the time I realized I was looking at a 24+ inch fish she was spooked off by my less-than-stealthy approach. Keep an eye out for this and push that gig down hard.

The Future of Fishing As We Know It

By Thomas J. Hilton | Hilton’s Realtime Navigator

Few Americans realize there are forces at play that are silently working to reshape how we are going to be able to access and enjoy our own public trust natural resources, (in this case, our red snapper), now and for future generations to come.

Millions upon millions of dollars have been poured into a concept called “catch shares” in our nation’s fisheries these last few years by environmental corporations, with the full knowledge and complicity of our federal government. It is a slick campaign, put forward by public relations/marketing firms to paint catch shares as a needed “conservation” tool to restore depleted fisheries. In reality, catch shares are an “economic” tool, a mechanism that converts our public trust resources into private commodities – taking from what each American owns and giving it to a few well-connected corporations free of charge.

The name does what it implies; taking what they catch, and converting them into shares, similar to shares of stock on Wall Street where the “owners” can sell, lease or trade them for profit. When you are on the ground floor of this scam, it is a massive transfer of wealth from the many (all Americans) to the few, and we are talking hundreds of millions of dollars here.

Unlike other public resources like oil, gas, and timber where rents are paid to the government for usage of the public resources, these shares are being granted to favored groups free of charge. To add insult to injury, the resource rents are diverted and paid to the corporations each year instead of to the nation, and the shares handed down to heirs as assets for generations to come. In my opinion, this is grand felony theft of the highest magnitude and nobody is being held accountable.

16redsnapper 225x300 The Future of Fishing As We Know It

“If these groups get their way, the days of an American fisherman taking his kids fishing, catching a fish and placing that fish in their cooler “for free” are coming to an end.”

In the case of Gulf of Mexico fisheries, catch shares were introduced to the commercial red snapper fishery in 2007 when the Magnuson-Stevens language was added in our fisheries law by the Environmental Defense Fund’s “Oceans Team.” This “innovative market approach” gave 51% ownership of Gulf red snapper to a few commercial fishing corporations which today I estimate to be worth around $300 million. Many of the catch share “owners” have since sold their boats and don’t even go fishing at all, and instead opt to rent their shares to other commercial operations for $3.00/pound or more.

Al Capone would be proud of these guys, skimming hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, per owner, off of the harvest of America’s public trust resources while the nation, nor the fisheries, benefit from one red dime. They are laughing all the way to the bank, at your expense.

Now the enviro corporations, their front groups, and our own federal government are attempting to implement catch shares into our Gulf recreational fisheries. This is where I am compelled to draw the line. If these groups get their way, the days of an American fisherman taking his kids fishing, catching a fish and placing that fish in their cooler “for free” are coming to an end. You will be required to pay SOMEBODY in order to bring fish that YOU catch back home to eat. This will most likely be accomplished through the use of fish tags.

For example, recently under a pilot program for the Gulf headboats, each boat was given a certain number of fish tags with which the boat owners could utilize any way they wanted. Some operations offered their normal trips at $80/person with the option of catching (and keeping) one red snapper – that is, if you purchased a red snapper tag for $25. Wow. What a deal.

Recently, the Gulf Council segregated Gulf recreational fishermen based on what type of boat they fish upon, either a private vessel or a for-hire vessel, so that they could discriminate against one group for the benefit of the other. I find it appalling that our own federal government has resurrected failed management policies such as segregation and discrimination in order to push this privatization scheme, but that is exactly what is happening.

The proof is in the pudding – 2015 was the first year that gave different season days to the two groups. Private boats got 10 days and the for-hire boats got 44 days, and the 2016 red snapper season looks even worse for the average American Gulf fisherman. Remember, these are all recreational fishermen catching the fish – it really shouldn’t matter what type of boat they are fishing from, but separating them is essential to the next step; granting ownership of the fish to the for-hire sector of boat owners.

These are mafia-style tactics. Our own federal government is squeezing honest tax-paying American citizens into shorter and shorter red snapper seasons using bogus data to justify their actions, and then forcing the fishermen to accept the so-called “solution” of catch shares, or else be shut out of the fishery. Currently, the Gulf private recreational fisherman is prohibited from fishing for red snapper in federal waters for about 98% of the year – that is unless you want to pay a charter or head boat to take you, or…coming soon on your own boat…fish tag$.

The NMFS has failed all of us in this scam and needs to be fired, plain and simple. There is a bill that needs all of our support at the Congressional level; H.R. 3094 which would transfer management of the Gulf red snapper to the five Gulf states. We need to stop this privatization scheme now, as it will certainly not stop at red snapper – it will encompass every single federally-managed fish that swims in the ocean.

Please contact your Congressional representative and voice your support of this bill – your kids’ and their kids’ fishing future depends on it.

The Galley: Beer Pairings With Seafood

By Betha Merit

Forget the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio for your seafood culinary accompaniments. Or, better yet, you assess your guests and enjoy the new age of beer. With the rise of craft beers, imports, and old standards, there are brewski choices that will make any chef proud.

The rule of thumb for seafood is for less hoppy styles. A Belgian Saison or light German lager or blonde ales pair well with a simpler recipe for fish or shellfish. By adding heavier sauces or pasta, you can go for heartier versions of German lagers or wheat beer. Then again, the old adage of “drink what you like” can still apply. Only you know what is your entertainment goal. To please your guests, is the likely choice. Ahhhh, freedom of expression.

Flounder With Green Sauce

4 fresh flounder fillets
salt & pepper to taste
For sauce combine:
1/2 container of Alouette herb and garlic spreadable cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
4 TBSP fresh meyer lemon juice
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 peeled, de-seeded cucumber, grated

Pat four flounder fish filets with salt and pepper. Saute in butter or olive oil until flakey. Serve sauce on fish. A great accompaniment is potatoes, see next recipe.

Dirty Potatoes

4 medium white potatoes
1/2 stick butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped green onions
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cut up un-peeled washed potatoes into cubes and boil in water until done but not too soft. Drain water. While still warm cut up butter into potatoes, add onions and salt and pepper.

pasta st pauli The Galley: Beer Pairings With Seafood

Shrimp & Broccoli Tortiglioni Pasta

8 oz. tortiglioni or rotini pasta boiled in 6 cups of water, cooked al dente
3 cups frozen broccoli, thawed
2 TBSP olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined large gulf shrimp
2 teaspoons meyer lemon peel zest
3 TBSP unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Heat a large skillet or pan over high heat, adding oil to swirl and coat. Add shrimp to pan, saute two minutes. Stir in lemon peel, cook another minute. Add drained pasta, broccoli, butter, and lemon juice to pan. Saute another minute until broccoli is to your liking, stirring occasionally. (Hint, you can pre-cook broccoli if desired). Gently stir all ingredients and sprinkle with black pepper.

Another Successful Keels and Wheels

By Patty Kane | Photography by Debra Rueb and Charles Milby

A key ingredient to having a successful outdoor event is the weather and Mother Nature provided two nice days for the 21st Annual Keels and Wheels Concours d’ Elegance held the last weekend in April at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook.

The country’s largest classic car and boat Concours gets better every year and this year was no exception. Tne crowd was able to view a rare display of the world’s finest examples of classic automobiles and an astounding collection of mint condition vintage wooden yachts.

The event is a draw for families as well as car and boat collectors and enthusiasts from all over the United States and the world. The beautiful grounds at Lakewood Yacht Club, located at 2425 NASA Parkway, make the perfect setting for exhibitors to show off their most prized vehicles while the picturesque Lakewood harbor is equally appropriate for displaying the pristine wooden boats. Visitors to the event are drawn back to the grace and beauty of days gone by.

Over the years the event has raised more than $1.5 million for local charities. Proceeds from this year’s event will once again go to the Boys & Girls Harbor. Attendees not only have a wonderful time but contribute to a worthy cause.

Keels & Wheels is the product of a lot of hard work and is the brain child of founders and Concours Chairmen Bob Fuller and Paul Merryman. Bob and his wife Judy, Laura Power, Paul and the Keels & Wheels Board are dedicated to making the event a big success every year. The Lakewood members who donate their time are also an important part of making Keels & Wheels able to continue year after year.

Fuller thanks the generosity of the 2016 sponsors. If you would like to be a sponsor for this spectacular event in 2017, contact Bob Fuller at 713- 521-0105 or email keelsnwheelssec@comcast.net.

Houston’s Flood Problem

Buffalo Bayou spills out of its banks between Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway on April 18, 2016 after heavy rains. Photo by Jim Olive.

By Janice Van Dyke Walden

Spring rains have hit Houston, and at the time of this writing, the Bayou City is flooding once again.

While offices are closed and workers stay home, the clock ticks on the 30-day public comment period for a Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) document that will affect future permitting on roads, storm water runoff and setting aside land to offset flooding.

The 53-page Permit to Discharge is TXDOT’s first attempt to standardize the agency’s permitting process across the State of Texas as it relates to water discharge. The nation’s second largest environmental agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), has the document under review, and concerned environmentalists want to have time to study the permit and recommend changes.

Attorney and Galveston Baykeeper Board Member Jen Powis first heard of the document a couple of days before our talk on April 11, 2016. Her requests to TCEQ for a copy in that first week did not produce the draft on her desk, but she has since obtained a copy of the document filed as Permit No. WQ005011000.

“Impervious surface is my concern,” says Powis, who lives in Houston. No one doubts that flooding in the nation’s fourth largest city is due to more roads, higher density living and less surface area to absorb water when rainfall occurs. What concerns Powis and her Baykeeper colleagues is how the State is going to allow more flooding through regulatory holes in the system For about two years, she and other members of Galveston Baykeepers have been watching TXDOT’s moves toward “one, big statewide permit” system that could pave the way for more development and less saving of water-absorbing land.

About 27 states have adopted the policy of one permit for their entire transportation system, but with more highway miles than any other state, Texas has an unmatched amount of paving along with a variety of landscape to consider.

Till now, TXDOT has issued permits based on the specific conditions of each community. Powis favors this approach, adding, “I’m a strong proponent of local solutions for specific places. We all know that Houston looks very different from the Edwards Aquifer.”

Powis would also like to see metrics applied to the permitting process. One metric would be to factor daily and statewide flow rates – how much storm water flows through a community – to determine how and where development can occur. This would be tied to the permitting process.

“A lot of the time we try to build our way out of the problem,” say Powis, “versus preserving land at the beginning.” She and the other Galveston Baykeepers want to see TXDOT have more foresight in the allocation of green infrastructure. “The burden should be on the developer to incorporate mitigation in the project,” says Powis. She’d like to see the revised TXDOT permitting system require developers to set aside land to offset the impervious cover they create. In an area like Houston, only one enforcement body controls such a process now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the rule doesn’t apply to all conditions.

USACE has jurisdiction over all federal waters, including wetlands under the Clean Water Act (CWA). But under CWA, land is only a wetland if it lies within the 100-year flood plain or connects to a body of water under federal jurisdiction. Since most of Houston’s prairie and inland wetlands are technically not termed as wetlands under CWA, developers have been able to build on these parcels without mitigating or even going through the federal permit process.

Galveston Baykeepers’ Board Member John Jacob sees that TXDOT’s new permitting process could not only support federal wetland law, but go further to protect now unprotected land – the prairie and inland wetlands – and further offset urban flooding and poor water quality.

Of the couple of Houston parcels that Jacob cites as unprotected wetland “already gone” is Generation Park, a 4,000-acre business development less than a mile west of Houston’s drinking water source, Lake Houston. Of the 4,000 acres, Jacob says that 67% (1,300 acres) were wetland. The master plan calls for allocating less than 20% to green infrastructure. In this case, if TXDOT had such a rule in its permitting structure, it could help protect both Houston’s drinking water and the water quality of Sheldon Lake State Park on Generation Park’s south boundary by requiring mitigation.

Jacob has been following the dramatic loss of inland wetlands for years. He serves as Director of Texas A&M’s Texas Coastal Watershed Program. In a 2014 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension report, Jacob notes that in the 12 years between 1992 and 2010, Harris County and the 7 surrounding counties lost over 30% of their freshwater wetlands. “Coastal, tidal wetlands – about 10% to 20% of the State’s total wetland inventory – are not under threat like the prairie wetlands,” says Jacob, where most of Texas’ wetland inventory lies. And, those prairie wetlands dot the periphery of Houston’s urban sprawl, mostly in tracts less than one-acre in size.

Jacob calls Texas’ prairie and inland wetlands the “lymph nodes” of our ecology. “They are cleaning the water, purifying the water.”

So why should the loss of wetlands 30 miles inland concern a coastal fisherman? Jacob puts it in simple terms: “Less wetlands: more flooding: worse water quality: less fish.”

Meanwhile, the opportunity for public review and comment narrows, with TCEQ’s comment period ending May 7th.

To find out more about how Galveston Baykeepers is working to protect Texas’ coastal water quality, visit: www.galvestonbaykeeper.org/threats

What’s In Your Bag? Custom Art Work by Jenifer Sundrla

Jenifer Sundrla, local Bay Area Houston artist.

Jenifer Sundrla, a local Bay Area Houston artist, specializes in paintings and also enjoys creating murals, portraits and illustrations. She mostly draws her inspiration from the sea. Her custom art work and murals have been featured in television episodes of Extreme Home Makeover and she has illustrated two children’s books.

Her beautiful, nautical art work is now available at Eagles Nest Gallery in Kemah. Jenifer’s creative works are the perfect wall accessory for home and yacht! For more information about Jenifer Sundrla’s art go to www.JenSunArt.com.

Angel Wing

Flounder

Heron

Brown Pelican

Pintails

Seahorses

Starfish

Trout

Sea Turtles

Where Did My Fish Go? Galveston Spring Fishing Patterns

Torrey Hawkins, owner of Bayou City Angler with a nice early spring red.

By Capt. Steve Soule

The upper Texas Coast typically falls into its spring time pattern by mid-to-late February. This year will certainly not be an exception to the rule after a very mild winter and rapidly warming daytime temperatures. Unfortunately, spring patterns are probably the most difficult to sort out. Fish are transient, temperature swings are frequent, and food sources change on nearly a daily basis.

Transitional Times Require Transitions From Anglers

The easiest transition to see and understand is that of the temperatures, both air and water. There are a couple of fun things to note about the changing temperatures. First, it helps to understand the two basic rules of air and water temperature and how they affect fish and their food sources. The relationship is much like that of a large heat exchanger or radiator. Typically, the water is somewhat constant and much slower to change, while the air temperature is almost constantly changing. Here’s where it gets fun; if the air temperature is colder than the water temperature, then the surface water will cool most rapidly. In this scenario, shallow water will cool down much faster than deeper water. If this change is significant enough to cause discomfort in fish or their prey species, they will begin to move to deeper water.

Let’s flip the equation: now the air temperature is warmer than the water and increasing. In this scenario, shallow water and surface temperatures will be on the rise and, following in suit, the fish and their prey will be moving toward shallower water. Clearly, you can see how this knowledge will benefit you in narrowing your search for fish.

Keep in mind that this is all relative. Shallower or deeper is relative to current depth, warmer and colder being relative to current temperatures. There are some limits to when this information is useful. Once water temperatures and air temperatures stabilize above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, warming temperatures are not nearly so relevant. Most of the common predator and prey species are well within their comfort range so we need to be more aware of a cooling event at that point than we do of a warming event.

juvcrab 300x300 Where Did My Fish Go? Galveston Spring Fishing Patterns

Juvenile crabs start becoming more prevalent as spring returns to the Texas coast.

Fish Food

There is a large food source transition that happens typically starting in late February. Through most of the winter months, predatory fish in the bays are limited in the overall variety of food sources. As the daytime photo period becomes longer and temperatures gradually start to trend upward, we see an increase in the number and availability of prey. Most are the smaller of their respective species, but it’s important to know that overall availability of food has increased. These sources come in from the warmer gulf waters or have descended from rivers and creeks, or even emerged from the mud where they took shelter during the winter. We can draw a few conclusions from this knowledge.

Food on average is much more prevalent. Early in spring, the average size of food sources is typically much smaller than what was available through the winter months. Last year, I wrote about some of the species that become prevalent again in spring. Shad, shrimp, glass minnows, worms, eels, crabs and more start to make a showing.

In the winter months we could do well just imitating a mullet or an eel, but in spring it can often be much more difficult to entice a bite from finicky fish. Many of the newly available food sources are not easy to see and therefore not easy to emulate. Some simple ideas that can help; due to increased populations, predators aren’t always so quick to jump on every passing opportunity. It is a safe expectation that numerous small meals are within reach and often easier to take advantage of than the single, larger meal. Keeping this in mind, it makes sense to scale down the size of the offering and this often leads to a greater number of bites.

Downsize to smaller baits like the MirrOdine Mini in spring to mimic the easy meals predator fish are feeding on, like shad and glass minnows.

So, we know that our predator fish are moving much more in spring due to availability of new food sources, changes in temperature and movements of their food sources. We also know that if the air is warmer than the water, shallow water will warm faster and conversely, deeper water will offer greater comfort in cooling periods. Mud, especially dark colored mud and areas of deeper mud, tend to retain much more heat than areas with sand or light colored bay bottom. Understanding that last thought, brings light to an interesting spring pattern. This will be disappointing to many anglers as it doesn’t fit the “dawn patrol” profile.

Wendell Breazelle with a big 27.75” trout.

Later is Better

Warm spring days with abundant sunshine tend to warm soft mud areas. This may not always draw predator and prey populations during daylight hours, but the heat retaining properties of soft mud and shallow water create a comfort zone for overnight dwelling. In so many areas around the Galveston Bay complex you can watch this take place. As the sun draws lower in the sky, and the temperatures start to drop, baitfish swarm the shallows. Comfort and abundant plant food sources draw them in, followed closely by their predatory brothers and sisters.

Pulling all of this together, be aware of both air and water temperatures and the relationship of change. Be prepared to scale down the size of your offering and perhaps most important, don’t get too hung up on being the first boat on the bay. Some of the best spring time bites I have ever experienced were much closer to sunset than sunrise. Many of those days were not really days, but more like evenings or even nights of fishing. There was a time when I would schedule guided trips from February through early April to all continue until at least sunset, if not later. That way we could be there when the fish were most concentrated and active.

There is no guarantee anywhere in fishing, but narrowing the field, so to speak, can only add to our odds.

Fishing Boats: Flats, Bay and Offshore

Shoalwater 19’ Catamaran

The 19 Shoalwater Cat rides excellent in extremely shallow waters and runs well in moderate chop due to the tunnel hull design. The 6” draft will allow you to get shallower than most flats boats that are much smaller. Lower gunwales than the 21 & 23 make the 19 Cat an excellent boat for fishermen that like to travel to a destination, then get out and wade The efficient catamaran design allows the boat to run well with a 90 to a 130hp outboard. It has the capacity to carry 5 people and comfortably fishes 3-6 people with the large front casting platform and rear deck. A choice of 2 different consoles is standard or you can opt for a raised console allowing for extra storage or an in-deck fuel cell.

www.shoalwaterboats.com | 361.983.4134 | shoalwaterboats@tisd.net

Haynie 21’ Super Cat

The 21 Super Cat is the newest Cat to the Haynie line. What’s the difference between the 21 Cat and the 21 SC? The 21 SC is basically the bigger brother to the 21 Cat. The beam on the 21 Cat is 8’ the beam on the 21 SC is 8’ 10” so it’s a much wider boat making it more stable. The sides on the 21 SC are higher than the original 21 Cat and the transom is also higher making it for a much dryer ride. The cat sponsons on the original 21 Cat are much smaller and don’t have much V like the 21 SC does in return giving the 21 SC a much smoother and stable ride in the bay.

www.hayniebayboats.com | 361.758.8486 | info@hayniebayboats.com

Blackjack 25’ 6”

The BlackJack 256 is the new flagship of the BlackJack line. With its larger size, you can take the 256 into bigger, rougher water, and still get the exceptionally smooth and dry ride the BlackJack brand has come to be known for. The 256 comes loaded with lots of standard features, such as LED lights, custom upholstery, and gas shocks on all the hatch lids. The console has a large door in the front, and is big enough to house a porta-potty and batteries. The large dash has plenty of real estate for aftermarket electronics. The hull itself is a work of art, with a subtly more aggressive styling, while still maintaining that beautifully unique BlackJack look.

www.blackjackboats.com | 479.885.0520 | info@k2marine.com

Yellowfin 32′ Offshore

Jaw-dropping speed and agility come together with the highest level of fit-and-finish and construction standards in the industry. Simply creating a boat that outperforms everything in its class, the 32 tracks and cuts waves better than most much larger center consoles yet provides handling like what you’d expect from a high-performance skiff. This near-perfect blending of form and function gives fishermen the ideal platform for chasing everything from striped bass or tarpon along the coast, to blue marlin on the rip, and everything in between.

www.yellowfin.com | 941.753.7828 | yfyachts@mac.com

The Galley: Great Cocktail Recipes

By Betha Merit

Entertaining friends and family often includes sharing a special drink, or making a toast. My friend, Tony, always has a new holiday drink to try with seasonal ingredients such as pumpkin for Thanksgiving, or watermelon for a 4th of July barbecue. He inspires.

So, I invited several friends and family to my house to concoct libations and tweak basic recipes, until they passed muster. Now they are “just right” for a cruise. Notable, most glassware is available in plastic versions for serving while in motion.

Dark & Stormy

Ingredients

4 ounces ginger beer
2 ounces dark rum
Dash of bitters
Lime slices for garnish

Directions

In a glass of ice, add rum, a dash of bitters, and fill with ginger beer. Garnish with lime wedge. For non-alcoholic version, serve plain ginger beer with a fresh lime squeeze.

lemonade The Galley: Great Cocktail Recipes

High Seas Lemonade

Ingredients

2 ounces vodka, chilled
5 ounces lemonade, chilled
3-5 slices cucumber
Meyer lemon wedges for garnish

Directions

Shake first three ingredients, pour into a tall glass and add lemon wedge. For non-alcoholic version, serve plain lemonade with cucumber wedges.

Espresso Martini

Ingredients

1 ounce vanilla vodka
2 ounces coffee flavored liqueur
1 ounce half and half
1 cup crushed ice
Sugar and powdered espresso for rim

Combine sugar and powdered espresso on a plate, dip rim of glass in half and half, then sugar/espresso mixture and twirl until glass is garnished. Mix all other ingredients in a shaker; shake until chilled. Pour into glass.

Offshore Jigging in the Gulf

Fill your tackle box with these proven jigs and colors before heading out to do some offshore jigging this year.

WILLIAMSON Benthos Speed Jig

The 9 oz. Benthos in Blue/Purple is great for a variety of Gulf species but absolutely deadly for amberjack. Drop this one to the bottom near rigs and wrecks and work quickly back to the surface until you get bit.

AHI USA Assault Diamond Jig

A secret weapon for blackfin tuna! Use the 8 oz. Assault Diamond Jig in Glow near semi-submersible rigs and drill ships at night and at shrimp boats during the day. If tuna are there, they will bite. Most strikes occur on the fall. Slow bounce the jig at different depths on the way back up. Replace the treble with an assist hook and land more fish.

SHIMANO Butterfly Flat Fall Jig

Another great multi-species jig, the Butterfly Flat Fall Jig was introduced in heavier weights in 2015. The 160g jig in Pink/Blue is killer for red snapper on rigs, reefs and structure. Just let it fall to the bottom, reel up 25 – 50 feet and let it free fall again. Repeat until you have your limit of snapper. This one can also be worked in a traditional vertical jigging motion and still produce. See video below to see this jig in action.

OCEAN TACKLE INTERNATIONAL Jager Jig

The gliding, fluttering action from this OTI jig elicits strikes from big grouper and is a good choice for other Gulf species like tuna and snapper. Its erratic motion, due to a rear weighted design, draws aggressive reaction strikes from otherwise passive fish. The Jager is ready to fish out of the package with an OWNER split ring, 2 RAPTOR Assist Hooks, and solid ring. Use the pink 200g and 300g jigs in deep water and the 100g jig closer to shore.

<< Gulf Coast Mariner’s Brandon Rowan with a large gag grouper caught on a 300g Pink OTI Jager.

SPRO Prime Bucktail Jig

Pick through the chickens and target the larger dorado in the school near offshore weedlines with this 1 oz. bucktail jig in Crazy Chartreuse. Add a Gulp! grub tail or strips of squid for extra action. Don’t be surprised if the ling bite this one too. The strong Gamakatsu hook stands up to big fish without bending.

High Performance Fishing Shirts

Stay cool, dry and and protected in these hi-tech fishing shirts.

Color: Coral Camo Blue

PELAGIC Vaportek

Beat the heat and look good doing it. This new PELAGIC sunshirt is built of a lightweight 4-way stretch fabric with anti-odor properties and stain release technology. Fine mesh vented panels dissipate heat while a UPF 50+ rating protects you from the sun.

columbiastinger High Performance Fishing Shirts

Color: Stinger

COLUMBIA PFG Zero Rules

A super-cooling tech tee with stretch and sun protection, this soft and lightweight shirt sports Omni-Freeze ZERO™ sweat-activated super cooling, active moisture wicking, UPF 30 sun protection and an antimicrobial treatment.

Color: Royal Blue

AFTCO Hooded Samurai

This 100% polyester AFTCO shirt features a hood, offering extra protection from the sun’s harmful rays. The moisture wicking, QuickDry fabric keeps you dry while sheltering you from 98% of UV rays. The AFTCO fish logo on the chest and bold print down the left sleeve adds style.

Color: Tarpon Concrete

SIMMS Solarflex Artist Series

Artist Derek DeYoung brings vibrant vibes to Simms’ new SolarFlex® Artist Series LS Crewnecks. This shirt is powered by COR3™ Technology for quick-dry, wicking, odor-killing performance, while a staunch UPF 50 rating squashes harmful UV rays.

Color: Light Heather Blue

SALT LIFE SLX UVapor Pocket Tee

Stay cool and dry in the Salt Life® Full Sail SLX Uvapor Pocket Tee. Mega-soft, ultra-light, moisture-wicking, quick-drying, antimicrobial SLX Uvapor fabric provides UV 30 sun protection. This shirt has full back Sailfish graphic and Salt Life® logo and left chest pocket on the front.

The Beat of the Drum: Black Drum Fishing

By Capt. David C Dillman

In March, several years ago, I looked forward to having a much needed day off. Spring Break had just ended and that is a busy time for fishing guides. My phone rang as I milled around the house that early morning. It turned out to be a good friend asking, “ Would you like to go with us to the Galveston Jetties?” I paused for a second and replied “YES.” Well, that day off from fishing did not last very long!

bluecrabbait The Beat of the Drum: Black Drum Fishing

Blue crab is a great bait for spring drum.

They picked me up from the Galveston Yacht Basin and we made our way through the channel. As we motored toward the granite rocks near the North Jetty, I inquired about the bait. The response was “We have plenty.” A quarry of live crabs, fresh dead shrimp, and even a few live crawfish filled the bait cooler; perfect baits for March when the drum run is in full swing.

We anchored up in position by 9:30 a.m. Several boats were already in the area known as the “boat cut.” The next four hours or so produced 62 black drum for myself, my friend and his dad. Just about every cast produced a fish. We had many triple hook-ups that day. All the fish ranged from 25 – 45 pounds.

Later that evening another guide called asking, “How many did yall catch?” I told him 62, to which he replied “Only 62? Why!”

“Because we ran out of bait!” I said.

March and April are prime months to venture out and tackle some of these oversized brutes. The drum you encounter this time of year mostly range from 20 – 35 pounds. On any given day, one pushing 50 pounds is possible.

A medium to heavy action rod will suffice. Use enough weight to hold the bait down on the bottom. Fresh crabs cracked in quarter pieces, large fresh dead shrimp, and even live crawfish are the best bait for these fish. This is a catch, photo and release fishery. It’s great entertainment for families, especially the children. Tight Lines!

Capt. David C Dillman is a full time fishing guide with over 30 years experience fishing the waters of Galveston. Call 832-228-8012 or 409-632-0924 for information and reservations with Spec-tacular Trout Adventures.

Guide to Clear Lake Marinas

Galveston Bay Bacteria After the Storms

Galveston Bay Foundation Water Quality Monitors Find High Concentrations of Galveston Bay Bacteria After Floods.

Join GBF’s Water Quality Monitoring Team

Pump Don’t Dump

Report Pollution

Cease the Grease

Water-Conscious Landscaping

Hot Weather, Hot Galveston Fishing

Fresh Food Recipes For Energy and Hydration

Curried Chicken and Fruit Salad

Savory Watermelon Pizza with Arugula

Fruity Watermelon Pizza

Sailing Champion and Teacher, Dave Perry

Where did you grow up and how did you get started racing sailboats?

I know you’re a big fan of Buddy Melges; who else was a big influence on your early sailing career?

You’re a big man; You must have played a lot of sports growing up. What was it about racing sailboats that turned you on?

I really enjoyed attending the Team Race seminar you did at the Texas Corinthian Yacht Club. While you were lecturing you mentioned the 3 P’s, what are they and why are they important in racing sailboats?

The US Olympic sailing team will be heading off to Brazil soon. How do you like our teams chances of winning a few medals?

Why is it so hard to stay focused when you’re driving a sailboat in a race and how do you accomplish it?

What do you do with a drunken sailor?

Texas Flounder Regulations Proving Successful

34th Annual Shoe Regatta Results

National Hospice Regatta Alliance

Flounder Gigging Tips

Which Tide?

Light Em’ Up

Where Are They?

Don’t Be Afraid of the Moon

Shell is Comfortable?

The Future of Fishing As We Know It

“If these groups get their way, the days of an American fisherman taking his kids fishing, catching a fish and placing that fish in their cooler “for free” are coming to an end.”

The Galley: Beer Pairings With Seafood

Flounder With Green Sauce

Dirty Potatoes

Shrimp & Broccoli Tortiglioni Pasta

Another Successful Keels and Wheels

Houston’s Flood Problem

What’s In Your Bag? Custom Art Work by Jenifer Sundrla

Where Did My Fish Go? Galveston Spring Fishing Patterns

Transitional Times Require Transitions From Anglers

Fish Food

Later is Better

Fishing Boats: Flats, Bay and Offshore

Shoalwater 19’ Catamaran

Haynie 21’ Super Cat

Blackjack 25’ 6”

Yellowfin 32′ Offshore

The Galley: Great Cocktail Recipes

Dark & Stormy

Ingredients

Directions

High Seas Lemonade

Ingredients

Directions

Espresso Martini

Ingredients

Offshore Jigging in the Gulf

Fill your tackle box with these proven jigs and colors before heading out to do some offshore jigging this year.

WILLIAMSON Benthos Speed Jig

AHI USA Assault Diamond Jig

SHIMANO Butterfly Flat Fall Jig

<< Gulf Coast Mariner’s Brandon Rowan with a large gag grouper caught on a 300g Pink OTI Jager.

High Performance Fishing Shirts

Stay cool, dry and and protected in these hi-tech fishing shirts.

The Beat of the Drum: Black Drum Fishing

Guide to Clear Lake Marinas

Featured Articles

Buggy Whippin: Galveston sight casting with Capt. Clay Sheward

Lure Colors for Trout and Redfish

Deep Drop Techniques for Grouper and Tilefish