Good catches from 61st St. pier

If the current weather pattern continues, it is shaping up for a good Labor Day weekend of fishing. Both offshore and inshore fishing should be outstanding. Saturday, double tide changes return, and that usually enhances feeding activity. We will give an update closer to the start of the big weekend.

Tuesday, I heard the voice of Richard Belleau for the first time since Hurricane Ike wiped out the old 61st Street Fishing Pier. Belleau called in the pier’s last report before the hurricane hit and Tuesday, he resumed his call-in reports for the new fishing pier, and how nice it was to hear his voice again.

Belleau reported sand trout and croaker being caught on dead shrimp, and anglers using live shrimp were catching specks. Rose Anderson, of Longview, caught and released her first two reds ever while fishing the pier Tuesday.

Capt. James Plaag, Silver King Adventures, said the weather has prevented him from tarpon fishing lately; however, he is hopeful the silver kings will be striking baits during Labor Day weekend.

Plaag has been running bay charters when he couldn’t tarpon fish and has been finding quick limits of specks in the 2-pound range in 13 to 15 feet of water. Hot chicken and Glo Bass Assassins and Sea Shads with chartreuse tails have been taking most of the fish. Plaag said the water is in good shape.

Sunday afternoon, Chuck Mayr took a limit of trout while fishing between the Houston Ship Channel Spoil Banks and the Bolivar Gas Wells.

Dan Mottesheard Jr. landed a 3-foot alligator gar while fishing a canal at Bayou Vista. Mottesheard said he ruined two filet knives attempting to clean the fish.

Sarah Melcer and her fishing dog, Abby, fished about 150 yards out from the Texas City Dike and landed a feisty bull shark, three gafftop, two stingrays, a 36-inch bull red, speckled trout and a sea eel. Squid was the bait of choice.

Offshore, the party boat New Buccaneer had two good days of fishing last weekend. Saturday, Capt. Garrett King placed his 80 guests into action 65 miles out, where they caught 275 vermilion snapper, seven lane snapper, three mangroves, 21 kings, nine sharks, a 25-pound amberjack, 30-pound ling and an assortment of reef fish.

Sunday’s trip was a 30-mile run where the 54 anglers aboard caught 87 angelfish (also called spade fish), bonnethead sharks, lane snapper, sand trout, a king and a ling.

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.