Prime time for area fishing

Today we begin one of the best months for fishing around Galveston. Offshore, just about all of the popular summertime surface fish are found within easy reach of shore. The jetties, beach front, deeper bay reefs and ship channel spoil banks hold lots of trout and other fish for the taking.

Early reports from Saturday indicate we are primed for a typical August, and that is good news.

Offshore, one boat was returning from an overnight trip to the Steeple Rock. Paul Landers, Dana Moore, Greg Thomas and Seth Richardson headed out to the distant offshore waters Friday afternoon and worked their way to the Steeple Rock and Claypile Bank.

Landers, who hosted the group in his 32-foot Boston Whaler Outrage, said it was one of the most beautiful nights he had spent on the Gulf. Not only was the night picturesque, but their catch was as well.

Most of the fishing was by drifting rigs and shrimp boats, both anchored and working. A variety of bait was taken, including live piggy perch, ribbonfish, sardines and squid.

Before pulling in their fishing rods and heading north back to Galveston, the anglers managed six amberjack to 33 pounds, four bull dorado and 35 chicken dorado, three ling to more than 40 pounds, 12 small barracuda and numerous sharks up to six or seven feet.

Kings were numerous within 40 miles of shore and, like the shark, all were released. The only frustration experienced on the trip was having to toss back at least 20 red snapper with several estimated to be in the 20-pound range. Two wahoo were hooked but not landed. Lots of shrimpers were working from 20 to 60 miles out.

On the inshore scene, we received two reports, one from Brenda Hobbs, of Waco, who, along with her daughter, Angie Baccus, and granddaughter, Regan Baccus, and two of her friends, fished the West End surf Saturday.

Although the tide was moving out and the wind blowing from the west/southwest, they caught four keeper reds, two specks and a sand trout. Lots of undersized specks were hitting, and it was a fish on every cast. Free-lined live shrimp was the bait.

Another report came from Don Mixon, who, along with his wife, Sandy, fished the North Jetty and landed eight specks, two rat reds, three sheepshead and a Spanish mackerel. Live shrimp was the bait and the action took place between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

There were no reports of tarpon action; however, once the wind switches to a more southeasterly direction, expect to hear of silver king hookups.

To get your catch in the Reel Report, phone Capt. Joe Kent at 409-683-5273, or send an e-mail to reel.report(at)galvnews.com. There’s no charge for this service.