Offshore/nearshore fishing off Galveston/Freeport

[hp2163]

I recently moved here from Austin and sold my go fast boat and bought a 24' cc. I usually go offshore fishing about once every 6 weeks off port Aransas with some buddies from Austin, I would like to meet some people here locally to do some fishing with. I like fishing the oil rigs but I'm open to other stuff as well. I guess I would like to meet some people who also have boats, a little free time during the week, and would like to go fishing 2-3 times a month. I'm 37, Univ. of Wisconsin grad, business owner..... If you have a Hatteras or Bertram you're automatically cool in my book. I might step it up in a year or two.

[WestEndAngler]

Welcome, a lot of us venture out into the deep blue... Fall Snapper season is a few weeks away and then winter tuna! If you need someone to split costs let me know.

[Beau T.]

Welcome to the site - I stick close to the bay but you are in the right place to find some guys who like to do it like you do.

[Milkjug]

Note to self: Buy $100K boat to be automatically cool.

Welcome, there are a couple blue water fans here

[hp2163]

I didn't mean that to sound pretentious, I would just like to learn more about those bigger sport fishing boats. I almost got one, but then you start talking to those guys at the dock and they say stuff like "we did a $30k overhaul on those cat diesels last year" and it scared me away. I figured I start with something a little smaller.

[WestEndAngler]

I didn't mean that to sound pretentious, I would just like to learn more about those bigger sport fishing boats. I almost got one, but then you start talking to those guys at the dock and they say stuff like "we did a $30k overhaul on those cat diesels last year" and it scared me away. I figured I start with something a little smaller.

In my experience with friends and clients that have larger boats on average they are spending 10% of the purchase price each year on maintenance. This is on top of fuel.

[Explorer21]

X2 on that. Go big or go home does not fall into this category Welcome to the site, I am sure you will hook up with someone. If not offshore, inshore for sure. Enjoy and tight lines.

In my experience with friends and clients that have larger boats on average they are spending 10% of the purchase price each year on maintenance. This is on top of fuel.

[plugger]

Welcome to the site ! Yeah , I guess any offshore fan would like to fish with someone who had such a boat as you mentioned . The best arrangement is to let him have the boat along with the maintenance and cost while you help pay for fuel ... LOL . The next best thing to being wealthy is to have a wealthy buddy !

Have you tried bay / near shore fishing ? It's a whole different ball game but you might get smitten and its less expensive and you would get a lot more offers to link up with a pardner . Just something to think about . And talking about a smaller boat , you can do a lot of fishing with a kayak , LOL !

Welcome to the GREAT REPUBLIC OF TEXAS !

[hp2163]

I would be interested in a little bay fishing, I just don't know to much about it. I do know its shallow, and my boat is deep v. We went out Memorial day and didn't do so hot in the bay. My experience has been as soon as you get to a platform 20 miles or so out all you have to do is get some bait to the bottom and you start getting bites. Two weeks ago in port a I also had some good luck throwing a spoon around the rigs. Its there any good fishing around kemah , like if you put in by that big bridge? We may go this afternoon.

[Swells]

Welcome aboard and good to hear you're into fishin'. We do have some opinions and my first is to keep the center console and a trailer in case a hurricane comes - with a heavy boat like a Bertram you're kind of "up a creek without a paddle," literally. You can move your boat to high ground and have lower insurance.

Second, the fall fish run ain't to be missed and it is starting already. You don't have to go far. Look for bait balls moving down the coast and the jetties, sometimes out to the rigs and shrimp boats if it is pretty flat. Ling, red drum, mackerel, shark, and even tarpon will be swarming on those bait balls for the next month and then it's the end of the fishing season.

Third, get some experience for winter fishing, which usually involves warm, dry clothing and red snapper rigs, with a good fish finder. Head down south by Matagorda for some red snapper holes - there are fishing books and such about the honey holes. Fish them on a southerly breeze because riding home into a norther is not fun. This action starts about the first strong northers of November.

Fourth, the red drum will bite all winter off the northeast side of the Surfside jetties, real close in. We never go offshore much further because it is so sloppy, and it takes a seasoned boat and crew to do a 100-mile tuna run and back ... go on another boat before you attempt it because only the toughest Marines can handle that abuse. We put in at Bridge Bait & Tackle in Lake Jackson/Surfside to avoid the nasty long run out Galveston.

Hope that helps some. You can flounder fish on the inside of the jetties on an incoming tide sometimes and with your boat you're good to about 3 feet of water before things get shallow. Get some Flounder Pounder lures for that. Anchoring will work and play the fresh incoming tide. Good luck and have fun. Get good at the GPS, depth finder, and marking fish holes. You'd be a pro in no time!