Capt. John 36 Hour Trip—Monday/Tuesday Sept. 27-28, 2015
With Captains Johnny and Jillian Williams heading up the show the party boat Capt John left Galvestons Pier 19 on a 36 hour tuna safari with 23 fishermen aboard. Their first fishing stop was at the Salvadore Ridge area and its 180 feet deep waters. This ridge is about 73 nautical miles to the south of the island. While there numbers of vermillion snapper were taken using small pieces of squid bait. Next on the menu was the run farther offshore for the over night tuna fishing.
The nights first tuna fishing was done at the Nancen Spar platform. This platform is located about 117 miles to the south of the island in 3,675 feet of water. While there the down wind drifts had blackfin tuna and a yellowfin hitting chrome diamond jigs plus an assortment of butterfly and speed jigs. With the bite a bit on the slow side a move was made at about 4:30 am to the BoomVang Spar platform, about 8 miles to the west. The tuna bite was still on the slow side with only two tuna being caught. One was a blackfin the other a yellowfin of 45#. Pat Hannond had the big fish of the trip hit on a Carolina rigged sardine shortly after first light, a nice end to the tuna fishing. Then it was off on the inshore run back to salvadore.
The run inshore was a bit on the bumpy side as a low pressure area off to the east was generating an offshore swell. Also the return to salvadore had rain involved with the fishing. While there more vermillion snapper were caught along with 8 kingfish and a tilefish. The vermillions hit small pieces of cut squid as at the first stop and the kingfish were taken on freelinded Spanish sardines. When time ran out the long and bumpy ride back to Galvestons Pier 19 began with this total catch:
- 45 blackfin tuna to 18#
- 23 red snapper to 8#
- 2 yellowfin tuna to 45#
- 230 vermillion snapper to 3#
- 8 kingfish to 18#
- 1 tilefish
- 1 almaco Jack
- 3 bluerunner
Rob Richardson, Athens, 10 blackfin tuna (chrome diamond jigs) 8 vermillion snapper, 1 kingfish
Peter Letts, Cedar Creek Lake, 3 blackfin tuna, (speed jigs) 20 vermillion snapper
Greg Moliere, Houston, 8 blackfin tuna, 12 vermillion snapper
Pat Hannond, Dickinson, The yellowfin tuna of the trip, a 45 pounder on a Spanish sardine
These 36 hour trips, fall thru winter all have the possibility of being weather influenced. This one was effected to some extent but was run with good numbers being caught. The tuna numbers are always going to be a questionable item and while it was a bit on the slow side it easily could have been the opposite…..tuna fishing.
See you on the Capt. John!
Patrick Lemire