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.

The Best Deck Shoes & Sandals

We know, it’s tempting to go barefoot on the boat. But fish hooks, fins, teeth and a myriad of moving boat parts can put a serious hurting on the 26 bones and 100+ muscles, tendons and ligaments in the human foot. Be smart and stay safe with the best deck shoes and sandals.

Columbia DrainmakerIII PFG

The Drainmaker III has been updated with bigger, more numerous drainage ports and is a favorite of boaters and sportfishing captains. This lightweight shoe features an open mesh synthetic upper, speed lace closure system, Techlite^TMfootbed, midsole and a lower durometer EVA for ultimate comfort and shock absorbency. A razor siped, non-marking wet grip outsole provides increased traction and the Blood ‘n Guts^TMtreatment resists stains. Buy now at www.columbia.com

Sperry Top-Sider Billfish ASV Boat Shoe

The Billfish ASV is the first performance boat shoe with innovative anti-shock/vibration technology for non-stop comfort. The 360 Degree Lacing System,™ with rust proof eyelets, provides a secure fit and a non-marking rubber outsole with Wave-Siping™ keeps you sure-footed. A removable full length molded footbed makes sure you stay comfortable on long voyages. Buy now at www.sperry.com

OluKai Mea Ola

The last flip flop you will ever buy, the Mea Ola features intricate octopus artwork, a full grain leather upper, compression molded EVA midsole and a leather wrapped outsole with non-marking molded gum rubber traction pods. A unique Outboard Strap Construction offers a free, yet secure and comfortable fit. Buy now at www.olukai.com

KEEN Kanyon

The lightweight, quick drying Kanyon offers the ultimate protection in a sandal. The patented non-marking rubber outsoles wrap up and over the toes to keep you safe. Razor siping improves ground traction and a compression molded EVA midsole and footbed ensures great comfort. Classic styling and an easy-to-adjust bungee lacing system make these a great choice on and off the boat. Buy now at www.keenfootwear.com

Revisiting The Legacy’s Blue Marlin State Record

Capt. Kevin Deerman and the crew of the Legacy celebrate their record breaking blue marlin caught during the 2014 Bastante John Uhr Memorial Billfish Tournament. The Rockport Aquarium plans to display a full body mount of this record breaking fish. The mount will be a permanent part of the Aquarium and the dedication ceremony will be held during this year’s Bastante Tournament.

legacybluemarlin1 Revisiting The Legacys Blue Marlin State Record

The crew of the Legacy prepares the marlin for the scales.

By Amanda Jenkins

On July 11, 2014, Kevin Deerman and his eight-man crew caught a blue marlin off the coast of Port Aransas that broke the Texas record,. Deerman, 50, of Galveston, was leading the crew in a 56’ Viking named “Legacy.” The crew included: George Gartner, the owner of the private boat, Michael Fitzpatrick, Ruben Ramos, Colin Ocker, Jeff Owen, Richard Richardson and Cameron Plaag.

The Legacy departed out of Port Aransas around 6 p.m., after waiting for some thunderstorms to pass.

“We were fishing the Bastante John UHR Memorial Billfish Tournament that we had registered for in Rockport the previous day,” says Deerman, “We ran about 130 miles out to the Hoover Diana Spar and started catching bait around 6 a.m.” After gathering a surplus of live tuna to attract the fish, the team started their journey around 6:45 a.m.

After the thunderstorms from the previous night passed through, the weather conditions were perfect for the day of the record catch. That morning was overcast, the water was calm, and there was no wind. The crew was only fishing for about 15 minutes after catching bait when they got the blue marlin to bite. “As soon as we had the fish situated in the cockpit we headed to the dock so we didn’t catch anything else other than bait,” says Deerman.

“We had the bite at 6:58 and it took another 40 minutes to get the fish in the boat before we could make the run back to the weigh station in Rockport,” explains Deerman. The team used their Shimano 130 Tiagra reels and Shimano 130 class rods to reel in the marlin. The line was 130 pounds IGFA Amilon.

It was truly a team effort and took the crew about 17 minutes to fight the marlin before they got her to the boat. Gartner, Fitzpatrick, Ramos and Ocker got the first gaff in the fish, and Owen was able to get a second gaff in. Richardson acted as the angler and “put a lot of heat on the fish,” the captain says. “At one point when the fish went down, he was as close to 60 pounds of drag.” Plaag was Deerman’s mate and wireman on the boat.

Once they got to the weigh station, the crew saw that they broke the record with an enormous 972.7 pounds (137.5” long) blue marlin. The previous state record weighed 876.5 pounds and was caught on August 20, 1988 off the coast of South Padre Island.

The captain of the Legacy and his crew have many years of experience fishing. Deerman has been fishing in offshore waters most of his life and had his first captains job in 1986 when he received an offer to take a boat to the Bahamas. He has since spent about 15 years fishing in Mexico, Florida, Panama, Costa Rica and Texas. When he fishes for billfish in Texas it’s usually in tournaments.

Cameron Plaag or his father James Plaag always accompanies the captain on his fishing excursions. “James spends more time on the bay than he does on land,” says Deerman, “I love any kind of fishing. When you catch a nice fish or a good number of species that you are targeting it’s all good, but my favorite fish to catch will always be the blue marlin!”

Trolling Without Outriggers

No outriggers, no problem! Trolling without outriggers on a small boat is a great way to get into big fish. Troll these easy spread along weedlines, shrimp boats, color changes and structure this summer off the Texas coast. Simplify down to two or three lures depending on your crew and experience. Fewer lines are easier to manage for beginners. Mount release clips on reel seats or to your boat to change the angle of lines and prevent tangles. Rubber bands to cleats or reel handles will also work.

SMALL BOAT TROLLING SPREAD FOR DORADO

doradotrollingspread Trolling Without Outriggers

Proven dorado colors are blue/white, pink/white and green/yellow. Change your spread to the colors they are hitting the hardest. Feather jigs, Ilanders, small Mold Crafts and C&H lures are excellent, inexpensive lures. Place bigger baits closer to the boat and smaller ones further back in your spread. To hungry dorado, your boat resembles fleeing bait and your lures are the crippled fish, easily picked off. Rig baits with 100-150# hard mono and 6/0 or 7/0 hooks. Use single strand or cable for ballyhoo baits around platforms and shrimp boats to prevent cutoffs from toothy fish.

SMALL BOAT TROLLING SPREAD FOR KINGFISH

Kingfish are abundant in the Gulf and will strike baits with unbridled aggression and speed. Gold and silver Russelures are proven lures, as well as Rapala diving plugs, baited feather jigs and Mann’s Stretch Lures. Experiment with other colors like pink or chartreuse if the fish are not cooperating. Troll this spread right outside the jetties, around offshore platforms or near shrimp boats. Rig baits with 80-100# coffee colored single strand wire or crimped multistrand cable. Subdue kingfish before bringing them on board. A thrashing kingfish with a mouth of big treble hooks is no joke.

Flower Garden Banks Wahoo

Chasin’ speed demons! Flower Garden Banks wahoo photography and GoPro video from onboard Bad Intentions, a 64′ Viking Sportfisher out of Galveston, TX.

A winter wahoo, one of the fastest fish in the sea, about to come to a complete stop.

The battle comes to an end. Ron McDowell watches his wahoo hit the deck.

A wahoo bares its teeth as the gaff moves into position. Skirted ballyhoo was a productive bait on this trip.

Debbie Conway reels in an early morning wahoo at the Flower Garden Banks on Feb. 9, 2015. David Weiss Jr. waits with the gaff, deckhand Tatum Frey clears the cockpit while Ron McDowell observes the fight and Capt. Billy Wright maneuvers the boat.

A hefty wahoo ascends into the boat. This fish bit a dark colored Braid Marauder.

Fishing Bull Tides & Spring Winds

Torrey Hawkins releases a 29-inch marsh red.

By Capt. Steve Soule

Spring on the upper Texas Coast brings the return of many things, sunshine and warming temperatures are what we tend to notice the most.

As much as those two factors make us rush to the bays, they are not the keys to angling success in the Spring. Though they do in fact play an important role, they are not nearly as influential as most anglers believe them to be.

Conditions, specifically those that we can easily detect above the water, are not the same as those that a predator like a redfish or speckled trout feels below the water’s surface. If I was to give my personal estimation of the two conditional factors that have the greatest influence, they would have to be water temperature and daily photo period. These are what both predator and prey feel, and are the factors that drive spawning and the return to shallow bays and estuarine waters.

Beyond sun and rising water temps, wind is probably the most notable factor for anglers, and probably the one that is the most discouraging. We can’t change the wind and it isn’t always easy to forecast, but we should all understand its impact and learn to use it to our advantage.

Strong southerly winds and powerful incoming tides of Spring are the arteries that deliver the life blood to our coastal bays and estuaries. These will typically start bringing new life as early as February, and continue well into April and even May. These bull tides bring numerous prey species, along with their food sources, back to the shallows. Each of the returning animals’ migration, whether large or small in distance, is timed perfectly by the return or resurgence of their primary food sources.

An entire article could be dedicated to prey species, their eating habits and preferred habitat, but knowing a few factors that play critical roles in locating and catching trout and redfish are worthy of mention. Blue and stone crabs, white, brown and to a lesser degree, pink shrimp, glass minnows, menhaden and shad, as well as sheepshead minnows and many more all make their annual return to the estuaries during spring. They wash inshore on incoming tides towards lower salinity estuarine waters where they can thrive and find abundant microbial food sources.

The Bass Assassin Sea Shad in Slammin’ Chicken is a good springtime marsh bait. Purple is a common color in juvenile blue crabs.

The Norton Bull Minnow in Texas Roach is good for low visibility marsh water. Use 1/16-1/8 oz jigheads with these soft plastics.

As anglers, we can all benefit from a greater understanding of the life cycles and influences within our chosen fishing grounds.

Just as these animals arrive, due to abundance of food, so do their predators. In nature, every step of the food chain is driven by three basic, instinctual needs: food, safety, and reproduction. Knowing this makes it very clear that to find our target fish, we must find its target or preferred food. As anglers, we can all benefit from a greater understanding of the life cycles and influences within our chosen fishing grounds. We must accept that sometimes the things that frustrate us the most can provide the greatest advancement in our angling skills.

Wind can make our fishing days challenging; knowing where those winds deposit concentrations of prey species can make them more productive. West Galveston Bay’s notorious winter “moss” can frustrate us to no end, but the realization that its “decay stage” provides possibly the largest food source for many returning and emerging prey species, might well make you look more closely at the areas most inundated.

Knowing some of the favorite prey species and their preferred habitat and food sources are great. Now, it’s up to you as a successful angler to locate them. Most of these small species are difficult to physically locate. Thankfully, there are some larger and more widespread animals that can help us locate the smaller food sources that often lead to greater catches. Since most every angler reading this has likely experienced fishing an area devoid of prey species and the ensuing unproductive day, we probably all can now see the importance of finding the food source.

Focus your efforts, whether on open bay shorelines, or in the marshes, on the areas populated by mullet. They are not only much easier to see, but they also eat the same decaying plant material that most of the smaller prey species dine on. Also, take the time to explore every stretch of water inhabited by shore birds such as egrets, herons, ibis and spoonbill. Areas where terns and gulls are diving are likely to have juvenile surface dwelling animals, riding currents. Many of these are extremely small and hard to see, but don’t think that hungry predators would pass up on the opportunity to feast on these helpless little morsels.

Wendell Breazele with a nice fly caught trout.

Don’t let the most transitional season deter your efforts, use this season to explore and use your angling skills to locate fish in places you haven’t often looked. You will find, that even though spring fishing can be very challenging, it can also be very productive for those who armed with knowledge. You might just find some very aggressive fish that are waiting to reward you with explosive strikes.

Fishing the Reefs of Galveston Bay

Travis Haight with a seven-pound speck.

By Capt. Joe Kent

We addressed the effects of oyster reefs on Galveston Bay fishing in the last edition of Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine and now we will expand on this by discussing fishing the reefs of Galveston Bay.

To begin, let’s take a look at the definition of a reef. A reef is “a ridge of rock, sand, coral etc. the top of which lies close to the surface of the sea; a ridge or mound-like structure built by sedentary calcareous organisms and consisting mainly of their remains.”

In the Galveston Bay Complex we have both natural and artificial reefs.

The natural reefs consist of oyster reefs, clam shell reefs and sand reefs.

taylorhuntertrout Fishing the Reefs of Galveston Bay

Taylor Hunter caught this five-pound trout while wadefishing.

The artificial or man-made reefs consist of shell, sand and gravel beds associated with oil and gas production facilities or old tires and steel reefs that are mainly oil and gas wells. Artificial reefs associated with oil and gas facilities are not permanent and are removed soon after the well or platform is abandoned.

Tire reefs (chaining together old tires) are beginning to become more prevalent with the demise of so many of our natural reefs. Lower West Bay is the location of one of the popular tire reefs.

Once, oyster reefs dominated the reef picture; however, following Hurricane Ike in 2008, that

Lou Nuffer with a bull red.

domination ended and now oyster reefs make up a much smaller portion or our reefs and fishing grounds.

Clam shell reefs have a presence in upper Galveston and Trinity Bays; however, they are not as prolific as in other bay systems east of here. The few we have do offer some excellent fishing much in the same manner as oyster reefs.

Sand reefs become more numerous the closer we get to the Gulf of Mexico especially around the passes. Sand reefs should not be confused with sand bars which are defined as “ridges of sand formed in a river or along a shore by the action of waves or currents”.

While artificial reefs do not initially meet the definition of reefs, after a time they become infested with barnacles and other growth that cause them to expand in size and come within the meaning of a reef.

Now that we know more about reefs in Galveston Bay, let’s discuss how to fish them.

Reef fishing is productive in all but the coldest months of winter. They are most productive in the spring and fall, two seasons when tides run unusually high. The reefs most affected by this are the shell and artificial reefs.

Deeper reefs are productive all year, especially in the summer when trout go to deeper waters. A high percentage of the deep reefs are artificial and associated with oil and gas facilities.

The best of the reefs for fishing are the live reefs that have a wealth of small marine life around which in turn starts the food chain to moving. Farther up the food chain are the predator fish which come to feed on the lesser species such as crustaceans.

The shell and artificial reefs offer hiding places for the lower of the food chain that is until the tide begins to move and that is when the action turns on.

Fishing the reefs is best when using a float to keep the bait from snagging on the rough foundation. Live bait is the choice of most anglers.

Speckled trout have sensitive skin and are most often caught around the edges of the reefs. On the other hand, fish with scales and strong jaws or teeth are found feeding on the bottom eating crabs, live barnacles and other residents of the reefs. Sheepshead and black drum are two examples of the mid-reef bottom feeders.

Other fish are found feeding on the food chain as well. Panfish are usually thick around reefs.

Sand reefs are fished mostly by wading. Fish feed on the wide variety of marine live that burrows into the sand for shelter and, as with the shell reefs, tidal movement sends them running for safety and again that is the best time to be fishing.

Without our reefs, fishing would not be as good in Galveston Bay. Hopefully we will see an aggressive program get underway to restore our oyster reefs and add more permanent artificial reefs.

Submit your fishing photos for our print and web editions to art@baygroupmedia.com

Five Lures for Fishing the Lights

Five Trout and Redfish Lures for Fishing the Lights

The month of March signals the start of Springtime fishing trends along the Gulf coast. Soon, newly hatched finfish and crustaceans will swarm canal green lights and other sources of nighttime luminescence. Hungry trout and redfish won’t be far behind to gorge on these tiny treats.

Under the scrutiny of the lights, it’s best to downsize your lures and tackle. Use smaller, transparent lures to best imitate the prey of these evening predators. Lures that glow in the dark also draw attention. Although, there may be times where the fish are feeding so fierce that just about anything moving will entice a strike. Other times, you may encounter stubborn fish that ignore all of your offerings.

Try these proven lures next time you find yourself fishing a set of canal lights, causeway lights or your favorite lighted pier.

Rapala^® Husky Jerk^™

Typically thought of as a freshwater lure, the Husky Jerk^™ in Glass Minnow is an absolute killer under the lights. It can be retrieved straight but works best when twitched and paused. Pick the smaller sized HJ06 or HJ08 lures.

MirrOlure^® MirrOdine^™

The darting, side-to-side motion of the MirrOdine^™mimics a wounded baitfish and presents an easy meal to nighttime trout and reds. Quickly twitch retrieve this bait to aggressively feeding fish.

Yo-Zuri^® 3DS Minnow^™

Yo-Zuri has taken its years of experience and technological research and created a formidable weapon for anglers targeting inshore gamefish. The 3DS Minnow^™is a versatile lure that works well retrieved straight or twitched. The color Luminescent Aurora Chartreuse, new for 2014, should be perfect for fishing the lights.

Rat-L-Trap^® Tiny Trap^™

Another freshwater import, the 1/8 ounce Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap^®has the flash and sound to pique the attention of hungry fish. Buzz this lure through the edge of the lights and be ready for a vicious strike.

“Speck” Rigs

Last but not least, is the old tried and true tandem ‘speck rig.’ Companies like H&H Lures and Texas Tackle Factory offer up several variations of this classic lure that imitate small shrimp or baitfish. These lures are inexpensive so buy a few different colors and see which works best for your area.

Setting the Bar – The Booby Trap Dominates Swordfishing on a Global Scale

by Rod Evans

The Booby Trap Fishing Team with the new Texas state record swordfish

The moment is as fresh in his mind as if it happened last week. Four-year old Brett Holden stands on the dock holding a gleaming kingfish that’s nearly as big as he is. Published in a local newspaper, the photo, submitted by his dad, Don, documented the beginning of a record setting angling career.

While much has changed for Holden, now 45, one thing remains unchanged: his enthusiasm for sport fishing runs as deep as the blue waters where the billfish he chases roam.

“I’ve always been fascinated by big fish,” Holden says. “My dad had a boat, so I’ve been fishing since I was born. He (Don) primarily targeted snapper, grouper, kingfish and ling, but he also targeted sharks, so I grew up shark fishing with him. We caught numerous sharks that were 800 to 1,200 pounds. He still makes a couple of trips per year with us.”

Where the Big Fish Live

As owner and captain of the sport fishing juggernaut Booby Trap, a 52-foot, twin-engine 2008 Viking Express based at Surfside Marina that’s capable of hitting 40 knots, Holden (aka “Captain Ahab”) and his crew of talented and intrepid anglers have emerged as the premier private sport fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico. The team has been named the top private boat in the Houston Big Game Fishing Club for five straight years mainly on the strength of its ability to reel in an astounding number of elusive, majestic swordfish. And while catching a swordfish is major accomplishment for any angler, bringing one of the bottom-dwelling monsters to the surface during the daytime, a feat the Booby Trap crew has perfected, is even more impressive.

boobytrap Setting the Bar The Booby Trap Dominates Swordfishing on a Global Scale

From left to right: Capt. Ahab/Brett Holden, Capt. Jeff Wilson, Capt. Travis Joyce, and Capt. Matt Reed

In June, the Booby Trap crew, comprised of Jeff Wilson, Matt Reed and Travis Joyce, along with guest anglers Brian Barclay and Danny Lenderman, made sport fishing headlines when on its third trip of the season, Barclay hooked a mammoth swordfish that weighed in excess of 500 pounds, crushing the old Gulf of Mexico swordfish record of 341 pounds. The fish was placed in 1,000 pounds of ice and was weighed the next day. By that time, Holden says the fish weighed about 493 pounds, was 108 inches long and had a girth of 60 inches.

“This fish came to the surface and we could see it was hooked pretty deep. It then went back under for three hours. At first, I thought it was a 300 pounder, but the closer it got to the boat I said, ‘It’s a nickel!’ It probably would have been around 550 pounds, but we didn’t weigh it for 27 hours, and by then it had lost an inch in length and four inches in girth,” Holden said.

After snagging the massive swordfish, the Booby Trap tracked west in search of blue marlin and caught six wahoo and two blue marlin before calling it a day.

Setting World Records

Catching large numbers of huge fish is nothing new for Holden and the Booby Trap. In 2012, the Booby Trap caught 172 swordfish in 41 days of fishing and Holden says the crew has caught over 800 swordfish and 1,000 billfish in the Gulf of Mexico to date. Over its last 45 trips, the crew has caught 218 swordfish and released approximately 20 state record class swords. In 2009, the boat recorded the first “Super Grand Slam”—catching all four of the billfish species, which includes swordfish, blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish, in one day—in the Gulf of Mexico and repeated the feat in 2012.

Capt. Ahab and Capt. Jeff Wilson prepares to release a big sword.

In late June, the prolific boat, owned by Holden since 2008, set a world record when the crew caught 30 swordfish in a single trip, breaking the old record of 21. Of the 30 fish caught, Holden says 23 were estimated to weigh in excess of 200 pounds and five were estimated to weigh at least 300 pounds. As is the custom for the Booby Trap, which releases 95 percent of the fish caught, 26 swordfish were released. The catch and release practice is in keeping with Holden’s overriding belief in preserving the natural resources of the ocean. He says fish badly damaged from the battle to bring them to the boat are usually kept.

“We try to release every fish we can,” Holden says. “We don’t keep fish because of size, we keep them because of the condition that they come to the boat in. Swordfish are good eating fish and we don’t feel bad about putting them in the boat. We just have respect for one of the most incredible fish in the ocean.”

For Holden, the owner of Holden Roofing and a Houston native who lives in Richmond, his rise to the top of the sport fishing game was not an overnight journey. In the 1980s, he began getting hired by boats to assist those crews in finding big fish before he bought his first boat and began entering tournaments.

“Between 1984 and 2000, I won or placed in 50 tournaments and bought bigger boats from the tournament money. In 1986, I was able to afford a boat that could travel out that far (at least 100 miles offshore) and from ’86 through 2008 I mainly targeted blue marlin,” he said.

While focusing on catching blue marlin by day, Holden dabbled in catching swordfish at night, as catching the elusive fish that lives in over 1,700 feet of water during the daytime was extremely rare. For over a century, swordfish were caught primarily at night when they ventured up to about 300 feet from the surface to feed. While fishing at night, Holden says a good trip might yield two to four swordfish.

“There was no daytime fishery (for swordfish) here (in the gulf). A group in Florida started catching them during the day, so I knew it could happen here.

“For years we were told that the gulf had been fished out and the swordfish were not there, but I didn’t believe that. We went out numerous times and never caught one, but on the first trip that we did catch swordfish, we caught five.”

Photography: www.boobytrapfishingteam.com

Using squid bait provided by sponsor Bait Masters, along with their recommended rod, the “Get Tight Sucka” series, 80 class reels and up to 6,000 feet of 80-pound, high visibility orange line with strobe lights affixed to the leader, and utilizing sophisticated radar and sonar equipment to see where the fish are living, the Booby Trap has re-written the rules for swordfishing in the gulf.

“The techniques we’re using are different from anybody I’ve ever seen and we’re able to produce double digit swordfish on just about every trip,” Holden says.

For the past three years, Holden and company have hosted the Texas Swordfish Seminar at Surfiside Marina, where they reveal their techniques to eager anglers. The seminar benefits the non-profit Everyday Heroes organization, which provides transportation to veterans to and from their doctor’s appointments. Holden says they expected 50 people the first year of the seminar and more than 500 showed up. Over 2,500 people attended the 2013 seminar held in March. To date, the event has raised over $500,000 for the charity.

Holden says he’s considering starting a fishing charter company in the future, but for the time being, he’s content to keep setting the bar for daytime swordfishing and billfishing in general in the gulf and doing his part to help Everyday Heroes.

Wade Fishing the Bays

Wading and big trout go hand-in-hand. Daniel Popovich with an impressive speck.

By Capt. Joe Kent

When the water is comfortable to wade fish in a bathing suit or shorts it’s not the best time for fishing action while wading.

The late fall and early winter are prime times for wade fishing. When the water temperature drops below 70 degrees, it is a bit uncomfortable for wading in typical summertime attire; however, the fish love the cooler waters and tend to roam the shallows more.

While wade fishing, especially in the surf, will produce fish year round, it is not until the water cools that the action pops open in the bays. The annual flounder run will attract hordes of waders as it is usually late October or early November when the flat fish start stacking up along the pathways to their winter home, the Gulf of Mexico.

Colder water is one of the signs flounder look for before deciding to exit the bays and readings in the 60’s will do the trick.
Trout and reds will spend more of the day in shallower waters during that time and wade fishing is the best way to sneak up on them.

Now, if you are new to this style of fishing I hope to cover some of the basics to help you get started and for you to have more productive fishing trips.

We need to begin with the basic wading gear. A pair of insulated waders is a must and the prices run the gamut depending on what quality you desire and your budget. A full service sporting goods store can show you the wide range of options.

Wading shoes, whether part of the waders or separate pieces are important. You will need shoes that can handle the sharp, cutting edges of shell while withstanding soft mud. Wade fishermen tend to cover a lot of territory and different underwater terrains are encountered.

One of the worst things to experience is to lose a shoe in deep mud.

Stingrays are one of the big enemies of waders and protective covers are vital to prevent a barb from piercing your foot or leg. Again, your sporting goods store can show you options for this.

Additionally, a long stringer, one that places your catch a number of feet behind you is a must or one of the more popular donut style container nets can be used. In either case your catch should be far enough behind you to allow a shark to attack it without mistaking your leg for a fish.

A good wading belt with pliers and a bait compartment is needed.

Now, for the fishing equipment itself, most wade fishermen use artificial baits as they eliminate the need to drag along a live bait bucket. This allows the angler to cover more territory and faster.

The rod and reel is a personal choice; however, the length of the rod is normally longer than those used by boaters. Long, accurate casts are a must for success while roaming the shorelines.

Your choice of artificial bait depends on the species of fish you are targeting. Personally, I prefer soft plastics as they are easy to use and I have had success with them.

For flounder my favorite three soft plastics are Flounder Pounders, Chicken Boys and Gulps.

For trout and reds, Bass Assassin Sea Shads in various colors, Norton Sand Eels, Saltwater Assassins in Chicken on a Chain and Down South soft plastics are good choices. One color that seems to add to the odds is chartreuse in combination with other colors.

Now, let’s talk about where to wade. The biggest limitation is whether you have a boat to access wading areas or depend on entering from land. Boaters have many more options as the Galveston Bay Complex is limited in areas where the public can cross land to enter the water.

Briefly, for those without boats, the Seawolf Park area offers access to water along with Eight-Mile Road on the west end of Galveston Island. All along the road from the Texas City Dike to the Moses Lake Flood Gate offers good wade fishing at times as does the April Fool Point Area in San Leon.

The Seabrook Flats are well-known for winter wade fishing and have easy access at several points along the shore.

Now for the most important aspect of wade fishing! Do not go it alone. Have a fishing buddy join you as there are too many incidences of a wader falling into a deep hole, and with the heavy equipment on, could not swim and drowned. A companion fishing close by could have saved the day. To be on the safe side, two or more anglers should wade fish together.

Seared Mahi Mahi Recipe With Zesty Basil Butter

Serve on a bed of rice with your favorite side of vegetables

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) mahi mahi fillets

Zesty Basil Butter:
Combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until the butter melts. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the fish for 3 minutes; then turn and cook until just opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the fillets to individual plates.
Spoon the warm basil butter over the fish and serve.

Striker Yachts – Building the Finest Yachts in the World

When you say Striker Mega or Luxury Yachts to well seasoned mariners, they will tell you unequivocally they are the best designed and durable yachts ever built.

Striker Yachts are well known worldwide for their attention to detail, craftsmanship and design. The finished yacht product is astounding and almost intimidating.

The Striker Sport Fishing Yachts are also designed and built by some of the world’s top naval engineers and craftsman. They are rugged and can withstand strong seas. They are made for luxury and performance, two very difficult engineering feats. They accomplish these two feats with flying colors.

Striker Yacht Corporation was founded in 1951. Originally its vessels were steel until 1956, when Striker was the first builder to use aluminum plating. Since then, Striker has produced more aluminum hulled vessels than any other builder worldwide.

Combined with the highest quality craftsmanship and Alcoa’s new much stronger NAUTIC-AL aluminum plated hulls, Striker Yachts do not require zincs and are impervious to galvanic corrosion. The Striker line extends from the finest sport fishing yachts, from 50 feet to over 150 feet, to the world’s largest super yachts up to 1,000 feet (300m).

Striker yachts have roamed the oceans of the world in search of giant tuna, blue and black marlin, and they are built to take their owners into sea conditions that others would not dare to ply. A true ship in her own right but clothed as a luxurious yacht, there is nothing like a Striker. Striker welcomes you to visit their shipyards in beautiful Istanbul that will surely impress the most discerning client.

With record breaking super yachts becoming even more popular and with the top two being built in the last 24 months, Striker is capable now and well into the future to build the world’s largest super yachts. Building yachts up to 300 meters, which is far beyond any other yacht builder in the world. All yacht builds will be completed at our shipyards, built to the highest levels of ship building for safety and sea worthiness, and incorporated into a fine yacht with the style and comfort brought to us by our award winning naval architects, Donald Starkey, Gregory C. Marshall, and Luiz DeBasto, for truly unique world class yachts.

Yachts

Mega/Super Yachts
Luxury Yachts
Sport Fishing Yachts

Commercial

Vessels
Ships
Supply Vessels
Oil Recovery
Tankers
Trawlers
Power Plants
Tugs
Fire Rescue Boats
Patrol Boats
Surface Naval Vessels

Repairs and Refit

Striker, through an association with Sedef Shipyard and Tor Group, now operates one of the biggest yacht and shipbuilding facilities in Turkey based on a site with a total area of 291,936 square meters, making it capable of building multiple projects at the same time. Here Striker can construct all types of vessels, industrial projects and conduct repair and conversion works in the heart of Turkey’s shipbuilding district. They lead the shipbuilding industry in the region by using the best know-how and state of the art technology.

Striker Yacht Corporation
300 S. Avenue of the Arts,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Contact – Phillip X. Orosco
832.423.6155
phillipbluewater1713@yahoo.com

David Hunt

President of the Gulf Coast Yacht Brokers Association

David Hunt is a native of Seabrook, with a love of the water and passion for boats. That love was born early on at his father’s dealership, Gulf States Yachts, and nearly 30 years later, David is proud to continue the legacy at Texas Power Yachts.

He began his career as a yacht broker in 2007 with Lauderdale Yacht Sales, after a successful stint in real estate. He then joined Lone Star Yacht Sales as sales director, under the famed international yacht broker James Hedges and excelled in the international yacht market as the Gulf Coast dealer for Azimut Yachts and Bertram Yachts.

Also representing Benetti Yachts and Atlantis Yachts as an official international agent, David had the opportunity to perfect the art of luxury yacht sales. With his intimate knowledge of the global luxury yacht market, his clients praise him for his honesty, attention to detail and his desire to always act in their best interest.

Now in his role at Texas Power Yachts, he tries to match the right boat to the desired yachting experience. His knowledge and experience with brokerage and new boats makes him an excellent partner in finding the perfect boat.

Passionate, patient and driven, he is an Eagle Scout, president of The Gulf Coast Yacht Brokers Association and an active third-generation member of Lakewood Yacht Club. When he isn’t at the office, he is on the water in his Boston Whaler with his beautiful fiancé, Lindsey, or enjoying spending time with his family and friends at Lakewood.

How long has the Gulf Coast Yacht Brokers Association been in the area?

Since the early 1980s.

As the president of that organization, what are your duties and responsibilities?

As president, I am responsible for presiding over all or the meetings of the GCYBA, as well as planning all of the meetings and special events. There are also specific committees, and duties placed by the board of directors. I also spend time promoting our organization in the Bay Area, as well as the state of Texas.

If you could own any boat what would it be?

Bertram 64 Convertible. My father had several Bertram and Hatteras yachts when I was growing up.
To many people buying a new boat can be a daunting process; could you walk us through the steps of purchasing a boat?
It can be a daunting process and the first step is to find a broker you can trust. The broker members of the GCYBA are all held to an ethical standard, as well as many being Certified Professional Yacht Brokers.

Brokers have resources available to them that most buyers do not have. We have access to multiple listing services, as well as boat information and knowledge that can save time in narrowing the search to meet the buyer’s needs. We can also assist the buyer by helping them define what vessel they want as well as defining vessels that will fit their needs.

Once the boat is selected, the broker will assist them with presenting an offer to the seller and negotiating a price, and terms.
A broker can assist the buyer in finding a qualified marine surveyor to survey the vessel and give an expert opinion of the condition and value of the vessel.

Once the survey is competed, the broker will assist the buyer in the closing phase of the process, helping with titles, documentation and closing documents. This will help make sure that everything flows smoothly, resulting in a happy experience for all parties.

What’s your favorite movie?

Pulp Fiction

What changes do you see for the boating industry in the next 3 to 5 years?

In our Texas market the industry would be greatly changed with the adoption of a sales tax cap on boats. Florida passed a bill in 2010 that limits the sales/use tax on boat sales to $18,000. By capping the sales tax on boat priced more than $300,000, Florida saw a dramatic increase in sales, as well as direct revenues to marine businesses such as marinas, shipyards, etc.

Currently sales tax in Texas is 6.25 percent on boats under 65 feet and 8.25 percent on vessels over 65 feet. A sales tax cap in Texas would increase the number of boats in the area, as well as much larger boats entering the state. The local economy of our area would see dramatic increases in marine related jobs, as well as the other businesses that profit from the marine industry, such as restraints, marina’s and yacht clubs.

We are also seeing some great new designs in both sail and power yachts, and many new advances in performance, clean engines, and hybrid technology.

How many yacht brokers are in the area?

Around 60

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working?

I spend a lot of time on the water in my Boston Whaler with my fiancé and friends. I also enjoy spending time at Lakewood Yacht Club with my family and friends.

Ole Evinrude

An early model Evinrude motor. Check out Acie’s Outboards in Dickinson, they have a cool collection of vintage outboards.

The story of how ice cream changed the way we move on the water

Do you remember the first time you tried to start an outboard motor? Grab the handle and give it a tug, and, if you were lucky, it started on the second or third pull.

Back in 1907 Theodore Roosevelt was president, the Chicago Cubs beat the Detroit Tigers 4-0 to win the World Series and a young Norwegian immigrant was working hard on a new invention that would revolutionize the boating industry.

Ole Evinrude liked to build things. He was fascinated with the new internal combustion engine and he saw the potential for a new idea that would one day make him famous.

Ole Evinrude started out as a mechanic and a pattern maker. After moving to Milwaukee he formed a company, Clemick & Evinrude. The sole purpose of this company was to manufacture standardized engines for the small automobile builders that were springing up all over the area.

After a while the business failed and Evinrude went back to pattern making in a small shop outside Milwaukee near the Kinnickinnick River. One hot August afternoon Ole and his lady friend, Bess, went on a picnic with friends. They rented a little boat and rowed out to an island on a lake near town. During lunch Bess expressed her desire to eat some ice cream. The closest town was a mile away. Ole rowed back to town, got some ice cream and then headed out for the long row back to the party. Along the way the ice cream melted. As soon as the picnic was over, he dropped Bess off at her home and he went back to the shop and started working on his invention. The rest is history.

A short time later Ole took his new invention down to the Kinnickinnick River and rented an old row boat for 50 cents, which was a lot of money in that day. He strapped on the engine and then fired it up. To everyone’s amazement, the new invention worked, it pushed the little row boat around at five miles per hour. People stopped what they were doing and looked on in wonder as Ole demonstrated his new engine. The next day he loaned the engine to a friend who was going fishing. Later that day the friend came back with 10 orders for the new invention.

Ole married Bess. He started a company and they formed a perfect team. He was the mechanical genius and she handled the marketing and sales.

The Evinrude name has been associated with outboard motors for over 100 years.

Evinrude E-TEC was the first outboard engine technology to win the American Environmental Protection Agency 2004 Clean Air Excellence Award. Chances are you have owned an Evinrude at some point in your life. Today all Evinrude motors are built and assembled in Sturtevant, Wisc., south of Milwaukee.

Texas Offshore Fishing in a Smaller Boat

Look for dorado under weed mats and floating debris.

Prime Time to Take Your Smaller Boat Offshore

shrimpboat 300x225 Texas Offshore Fishing in a Smaller Boat

Shrimp boats can inspire a frenzy of fish activity.

By Capt. Joe Kent

There are many anglers with boats capable of making offshore trips during periods of good weather; however, a large percentage of them are apprehensive about venturing beyond the jetties. July and August probably are the two best months of the year for the smaller boats to make a Texas offshore fishing trip.

Barring an event in the Gulf, the weather is the most stable of the year and the winds tend to be lighter on average than most months. Just about every pelagic fish that visits the Texas Coast is within easy range of smaller boats with limited fuel capacity during July and August.

The conditions are good and the fish are there, so what is keeping you from making that first trip to battle a king mackerel, ling, Spanish mackerel, shark or Dorado? For me, it was a lack of information on where to go, how to fish and what equipment would be needed. Sure, the big boys with boats over 30 feet in length knew all of that stuff; however, for us bay fishermen with smaller boats we just did not know a king fish rig from a bottom rig.

In sharing some of my first experiences and frustrations with you, it is hoped that you will learn some of the basics of offshore fishing and, if your boat is suitable for a run of 10 to 15 miles out, you will give it a try.

My first trip into the new world of offshore fishing came in late June of 1972.
The first big issue was preparing my boat for the trip. We had all of the safety equipment required and a C.B. Radio for so-called ship to shore communication. Several extra six-gallon tanks of gas were on board and we had a good compass.

Extra water was carried along and a good first aid kit.

While all of that was necessary, the one thing we did not think about was extra anchor rope. Anchoring in 50 to 70 feet of water requires much more rope than at 12-foot depths.

Our biggest mistake was in the fishing equipment we chose. Our tackle was too heavy. We took “broom-stick” rods equipped with large reels filled with 80-pound test line. After all we were fishing offshore and the fish are big and require heavy equipment. That is not the case for the near shore waters.

Bait and riggings were the next big mistake. We only had bottom rigs typically used for red snapper and squid and cut mullet were the baits we brought along.

When we anchored at a spot 10 miles out of Freeport called the Middle Bank, other small boats were fishing there also, some trolling others anchored. We were close enough to other boats that we could see their fish and all were having a field day catching kings, bonito and sharks. Our bottom rigs produced hard heads, small snapper and lot of other bottom feeders.
Little did we know that the action came from baits floating near the surface?

After that trip we started becoming knowledgeable about how to fish offshore and here are some tips to help you with your first trip.

First and foremost is safety. Keep a close eye on the weather and if potentially threatening conditions are in the forecast, reschedule your trip. There are a lot of days during July and August that are excellent for heading offshore in a smaller boat.

Next equally as important is the condition of your boat. Regardless of size, is it seaworthy, does it have the proper safety equipment and fuel capacity? As a general rule you should carry 30 percent more fuel than you estimate using for your trip.

Type I PFDs are a must also.

Now, let’s concentrate on the fishing. If you have not been offshore before, it is quite different from inshore fishing. A good trout rod will suffice if the reel can handle 20 to 30-pound test line.

Kingfish are common offshore. Drift a ribbonfish or sardine rigged on a wire leader to find them.

Wire and coated wire leaders with either single 6/0 to 8/0 hooks baited with fin fish or two to three hooks for ribbon fish are needed. Weights are used only if the current is so strong that the bait stays on top of the water. Ideally the baits consisting of sardines, ice fish, cigar minnows or ribbon fish should be suspended just below the surface.

A gaff and a club are needed as a landing net will not work for kings and many other surface fish.

Areas within 10 to 12 miles that are best for newcomers are the wells and platforms. One of the best ways to fish them is to motor up to the platform and drop your baited line overboard. As your boat drifts away, the bait will stay just below the surface. Be prepared for a vicious hit as kings and other surface fish don’t nibble but usually strike hard at your bait.

When you gaff your fish, use a club or other blunt instrument to stun the fish by hitting it in the head. This makes it easier to place the fish in the ice chest and avoids your catch flopping around on the floor of the boat and avoids damage to your equipment.

From mid-July on, anchored shrimp boats also are excellent spots to drift using the same technique as drifting surface structure.

Once you get a trip or two under your belt, other techniques will surface such as trolling baits or bottom fishing. For the first trip or two, stick to drift fishing wells, platforms and anchored shrimp boats as other methods and techniques will catch your attention as you progress in offshore fishing.

Boating With Man’s Best Friend

Keeping Your Dog Safe Onboard Your Boat

Summer is here and if you plan to take your dog for a cruise, the following safety tips can make you and your pet more comfortable and secure while on the lake, in the bay or off shore.

1. Visit the boat with your pet prior to your trip. Let your dog get acquainted with the boat before going out on the water.

2. Bring a first-aid kit. The Humane Society of The United States suggests you bring an antibiotic ointment for minor scrapes and have a good supply of any medications your dog may require.

3. Check local laws about dogs and boats. Regulations can vary by state and if you plan to enter international waters, research laws regarding dogs.

4. Keep your dog’s first outing brief. If it’s your dog’s first time to go out, have a quick trip so there is adjustment time to the vessel’s movement. A dog can get seasick, just as humans can.

5. Develop a plan in case your dog falls overboard. Talk about your plan with crew and guests before you leave the slip.

6. Invest in a life jacket. Even at the dock a dog can fall overboard and although most dogs can swim, your pet may panic and not be able to get to where he can be lifted out of the water. It’s important for your dog to have a life jacket anytime it’s on the boat. The Hedz Up Pets Watercollar™, a new product on the market, easily attaches to your dog’s properly-fitted collar. Straps drop away from your dog’s neck, providing all day comfort and ease of movement. This floatation device is designed to keep your dog’s nose above the water. The Hedz Up Pets Watercollar™ is available locally at Encore Resale and online at HedzUpPets.com

7. Other reminders. Allow time for potty breaks or make arrangements onboard. Summer heat can take a toll on animals so make sure your dog stays hydrated. It’s a good idea to carry your pet’s medical records with you and always remember… boating is a fun experience so make it enjoyable for your pet as well as the humans on board!

EPIRB vs. PLB

Ocean Signal PLB-1

Which is right for you?

Hello everybody! My name is Ken, and I am affiliated with a marine electronics company that has been serving the Clear Lake area for 23 years. The folks at Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine invited me to pen some content relating specifically to marine electronics – I hope you find this, and future columns, to be useful. I look forward to sharing our experience with you!

Our customers continually ask us about the difference between EPRIBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons) and PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons). EPIRBs have been around since the early 1980s and were designed specifically to address the needs of the commercial maritime market. PLBs arrived on the scene in 2003, and were designed for personal use. Here are the differences and similarities between the two:

Activation – EPIRBs can be purchased for either automatic or manual deployment, while PLBs can only be activated manually.
Registration – EPIRBs are registered to a vessel, while PLBs are registered to an individual.
GPS – Both EPIRBs and PLBs can be purchased with or without an internal GPS. Having internal GPS is a benefit in that rescue resources are focused in a smaller area.
Flotation – All EPIRBs float. Most PLBs will not float unless fitted with a flotation sleeve.
Operational Battery Life – EPIRBs are required to function for 48 hours continuously, while PLBs are only required to operate for 24 hours.
Strobe Lights – All EPIRBs are required to have strobe lights. PLBs are not required to have a strobe light, but many of them do.

“So”, you ask “what’s best for my application?” That of course, depends on you.

Ocean Signal E100 EPIRB

If your vessel falls under SOLAS regulations, or is any type of commercial vessel (fishing or passenger), then the law dictates that you must have an automatically deployable EPIRB. However for pleasure craft, it is simply a matter of personal choice.

Both products bring unique qualities to the table. The ideal installation would have both an EPIRB in a “ditch bag,” and PLBs affixed to the PFDs (personal flotation device). In this way, all the options are covered. Remember that the EPIRB is registered to the vessel, so when a distress activation is received, the rescue assets are looking for a boat. However the PLBs are registered to an individual, so rescue assets are aware that they are looking for a person.

As a multi-purpose device, PLBs offer the most “bang for the buck.” You can take your PLB along with you on a canoe trip down the Comel River, hiking in the Colorado back country, or simply keep it in your vehicle’s glove box. Carry it during any outdoor activity for which you desire that extra margin of safety. Because of this mutli-tasking capability and their lower cost, many customers are opting to rely exclusively on PLBs.

Luxury Meets Ability

Ram Heavy Duty Gets Outdoorsman Nod

By Don Armstrong

It wasn’t that long ago that heavy duty pickups were relegated to the working class. Most came with stark interiors, pie tin hub caps and little else. As leisure demand has grown, so has the amenities, and the Ram brand is leading the way.

The 2014 Ram 2500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4X4 is the epitome of luxury and capability. It now comes with a larger gasoline engine option and appears to have all the bases covered. Boasting the largest displacement V-8 in the segment, the 6.4-liter Hemi can also lay claim to a whopping 410-horsepower and 429 lb.-ft. of torque.

This new gas engine doesn’t replace the standard 5.7 but rather adds to the options list that includes our favorite, the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel. The Cummins delivers 385-horsepower and 850 lb.-ft. of grunt. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard.

Ride quality in the Heavy Duty class usually suffers due to its stiffer springs, but Ram engineers developed a rear link coil system that helps mitigate some of the unloaded jounce. If that’s not enough, a factory rear air suspension may be what the doctor ordered.

A set of 20-inch wheels aren’t just for rapper rides anymore, you’ll find them as a $1,200 option on Heavy Duties.
Another new option for 2014 is the integrated fifth wheel/gooseneck connection in the bed, a perfect, easy-to-use hookup for the Gulf Coast Mariner who occasionally likes to visit inland water.

Towing and hauling are reasons to purchase a Heavy Duty. With up to a 17,000 pound tow rating and payload approaching 4 tons, you are sure to find the right configuration to meet your needs. Be sure to consider whether you’ll need all the muscle for trips to mountainous terrain, the highway or city. Rear axle ratios are numerous. If slick boat ramps and/or jaunts to snowy areas are in your future, a 4-wheel drive system may be worth consideration, as well.

Inside the Laramie Longhorn, you’ll find an interior that is nicer than main house accommodations at Texas’ most famous ranches. Ram’s UConnect system delivers easy-to-use communications, navigation and entertainment features that will keep you informed, connected and productive through an 8.4-inch touch screen.

The entry level price for the Ram 2500 Crew is $33,685. Our Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4X4 model, with the new 6.4-liter engine, starts at $52,440.

Neil Akkerman’s New Boat

Neil Akkerman likes to build things. He is an engineer by training, and when he couldn’t find a good boat to teach his granddaughters how to sail, he decided to build one of his own. He launched his new boat with fun and fanfare to the delight of everyone around him. This is a great story, we hope you enjoy the interview.

When did you get the idea to build this boat?

When I was commodore of the Houston Yacht Club in 1995, the Optimist International sailing dinghy had recently become popular on Galveston Bay. The Optimist soon displaced the Sunfish as the youth sailing boat. Though there seemed to be a lot of enthusiasm among boys, I noticed that there seemed to be fewer girls sailing. All of the emphasis was on racing and almost none on simple fun sailing.

The Optimist International is a wonderful single handed youth racing boat. It is stable, responsive and not overpowered. At regattas the experienced youth sail in 20+ knots of wind.

Teaching kids to sail in an Optimist is much different that in a Sunfish. I taught my two daughters to sail on a Sunfish. We would go out sailing and I would, very casually, request help sailing the boat. They soon knew all the parts of the boat and how they worked. Before long “lazy” dad was a passenger and the girls were sailing the boat.

I noticed that it was very difficult for an adult to get onboard an Optimist with a child. I could not have used my “fun sail” teaching technique on an Optimist.

The most common teaching method with an Optimist seems to be to put the child in a boat and shout instructions. Inevitably in an emergency, shouts become even louder.

It seems that no matter how diplomatically a child is told that the instructor is speaking loudly because the wind makes it hard to hear and that the instructor is not mad at the child, the child’s first reaction is to cower down and want to go home.

Back then I knew a “coach boat” that was large enough for an adult to fun sail with a child was needed; a comfortable boat with all the same strings and foibles of the Optimist.

Are you pleased with the final product?

Yes, very much. Recently my granddaughters — with their mother, their aunt and granddad — all went out together on the boat. Later the sailing coach took out 10 beginner sailors in groups of five at a time for their first ever sail. By the way, the boat is named the EL&EM for my granddaughters.

The response from coaches is very encouraging. One of the sailing instructors said, “You have changed sailing forever. Some beginners go all the way through sailing camp and refuse to go out on a sailboat. The entire group just went out on the first day of camp.” That sounds like success to me.

It is a little early to call it a product as only one has been built. Another is under construction now. The plan is to have one for the sailing instructors to use at Texas Corinthian Yacht Club and the other at Houston Yacht Club. The young sailors swarm all over the boat. The in-your-face demand “How quickly can I buy one” from one grandmother was unanticipated. The ladies’ sailing director reserving the boat for ladies’ sailing camp was a pleasant surprise. When a friend and I took an 80-year-old gentleman for a fun sail and he commented “it has been a long time since I last boarded a dinghy, this boat is more comfortable than any dinghy I know of and many larger sailboats.”

Do you have any plans to build more boats?

Having a production mold makes it possible and practical to build more boats. I have brand named the boat “GO” which has no formal meaning but is derived from “go sailing” bumper stickers; though some guess the moniker comes from granddads obsession or grand opti or whatever….

The short answer is yes; if people want one, it will be built in much less time than the first one.

What’s In Your Bag?

By Patty Kane

A life preserver is a must if you take your dog boating. The Hedz UP Pets Watercollar™ is a new device designed to keep your dog’s nose and ears above the water. It has a unique design that attaches to your dog’s collar and drops away from the neck for all-day comfort. The Watercollar is available at Encore Resale in Kemah and online at HedzUpPets.com.

A Dry Case with waterproof patented vacuum seal for your phone is the way to go when on the go this summer. It comes with an armband so you have it with you, hands free and protected. The case is crystal clear for taking photos and comes with a waterproof stereo and microphone 3 way jack. Available at Marburger’s in Seabrook.

Look good when fishing or just hanging out this summer in designs by Saltwater Soul. Made in Galveston by Billy Ray Wagner, the shirts come in a variety of styles and colors. Available at Marburger’s in Seabrook.

One of a kind craftsmanship and engineering built into every reel is the reason anglers regard Abu Garcia reels as the benchmark for cutting edge design. Available at Marburger’s in Seabrook.

Pelican™ brand containers are tough and watertight equipment cases, great for holding keys, camera, wallets or jewelry while at the beach, by the pool or off shore. Available at Marburger’s in Seabrook.