Capt. John 10 Hour Offshore Saturday September 24, 2016

The 10 hour offshore fishing trip by the party boat Capt. John had Captain Johnny Williams in the drivers seat.

The first stop of the day was at a production platform about 14 miles to the E/S/E of the island. The 66 of us anglers had the standard baits of squid or Spanish sardines working from near the surface to the bottom during our hour or so there, the catch was made up of mostly of Atlantic spadefish. The catch and release was made up of numerous red snapper.

A short move had us at our second platform where more of the same results. The red snapper there included a pair estimated to be in the 12 pound class and one of 8 pounds. One of the 12 pounders was caught by Capt. Williams grandson Justin the 8 pounder was mine. Those nice ones Justin and I had hit freelined pieces of cut squid that were targeting mangrove snapper.

Our next stop had us at another platform now about 17 miles out. The red snapper catch and release continued as did the Atlantic spadefish catch and keep, the change was the bonnethead shark biting starting.

The fourth and final platform fished was about 11 miles to the East of the third one. While the water conditions were good at the first three platforms this one had a clear green environment to fish. Along with the previous red snapper situations and the spadefish, bonnethead shark bite continued. Added were bluefish, Spanish mackerel, kingfish, stingray and a nice mangrove snapper. Justin called my attention to a small pod of ling he saw, I flipped a freelined squid in their direction and while even the largest of the group was questionable as to whether it was big enough to keep a small one ate at the squid and was hooked, decked and quickly released.

At the leave, this was the days total catch:

193 Atlantic spadefish

42 Bonnethead shark

1 Bluefish

1 Spanish mackerel

2 Stingray to 60#

1 Mangrove snapper of 7#

8 Bluerunner

1 Kingfish

Released were red snapper to 12#and one under size ling

Justin Williams, Galveston, 20 plus Atlantic spadefish, the released 12# red snapper

Patrick Lemire, Texas City, I had a bluefish, the 7# mangrove snapper and numerous released red snapper to 8#.

See you on the Capt. John!

Patrick Lemire