Galveston Report

[Boboe]

For the last two weeks I've been running out of Galveston. The two platforms we've been servicing are the Nansen and Ocean Valiant, which are less than 3 miles from each other, 135nm on a 170 heading from the Galveston jetties. There are tons of work boats and crew boats out in the area, so if you go there, just watch your ass and don't get in their way. Anyway, the tuna of all species and sizes have been out there. One day we got into the baby...and I mean teeny baby yellowfin. They were schooled up and busting on the surface. None were over 4#, but fun on a spinning rod and eager to eat poppers. Another night the 7# blackfin rally was in full force. It was one of the most absurd blackfin rallies I've seen. You could not make a drop with a jig and not get a bite, and most bites came in the first 5 seconds. I caught so many that my diamond jig actually broke. The screw eye going to the hooks pulled out of the damned lure. The fish were fired up to say the least.

On several days the yellowfin were getting airborne, generally within an hour of dusk or dawn. I caught one that went 80#+ and another that was about 30# on different days. Both were caught on the troll on artificials (read: blue tuffhoo with skirted bird on its nose). With some live hardtails or fliers, it surely could have been on like donkey kong. Thankfully the cudas were nearly nonexistant, which is generally the case when the tunas get rallied up. I think they go hide or something.

We saw one charter boat out there two nights ago, but other than that it's been quiet, as far as fishing pressure goes. Photos may follow.

[Boboe]

Here's the larger of the tunas I caught. In retrospect, he's probably 60-70, not 80. Then again, I typically underestimate yellowfin weight, having called a 107# fish as 75# when he was caught. Anyway, here he is. There were many of his clones skyrocketing on fliers just before dusk and right at dawn, several days.

[Relentless33]

Nice work

[riskreward]

Nice fish! You guys eat good while your out there I would have guessed 75-80# what did he eat poper,jig,chunk? Good job

[Boboe]

He succumbed (succame?) to the mighty combination of a blue TuffHoo with a small skirted blue bird on its nose, trolled about 150' back from the boat. 2/4 engines in gear, idling, making 7 knots. I couldn't say which wave it was on because the boat doesn't make a wake at that speed. Oh yeah, 150' is less than a boat length back.

[riskreward]

That (less than a boat length) thew me for a minuite Thanks for the reply.

[Disco Lady]

COÑO!!!!!!!!!

[Boboe]

Originally Posted by riskreward

That (less than a boat length) thew me for a minuite Thanks for the reply.

The boat is 165' long

[greg1]

Originally Posted by Boboe

with a small skirted blue bird on its nose,

I have no idea what that means, but it sounds cool.

[baldurs390]

keepem coming!!!

[Boboe]

Fine...this is what both yellowfin ate. Total length of the lure and bird is about 10".