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Something that Every Tourist Should Know -- Fishing in Galveston, Texas
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A few words before we get started
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Ive lived and fished in Galveston my entire life, and Ive seen some pretty poor excuses for fishermen -- no offense to anybody. But the fact is, if you dont know what youre doing, it really agrivates the people who do. The basic purpose of this page is to inform those planning on fishing in Galveston -- the piers, beaches, jetties, bays and party boats. And youll probably catch more fish this way. If youve fished before, chances are its not that different -- I use alot of the same tackle when I fish in freshwater for catfish and bass. So please, read over the information here and email me if you have a question. Thanks -- BD >*
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The easiest way...
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The absolute easiest way to catch alot of fish quickly is to hire someone who knows what they are doing. This means a professional guide. There are plenty in Galveston, and you wont have trouble finding one at all. If a trip to the island is in your future, then youll definatly want to book a trip as soon as possible -- guides tend to be booked solid up to a couple of MONTHS in advance. The phone numbers of several high quality guides in the Galveston area can be found in the back of my favorite magazine -- Texas Fish and Game, which is not hard to find. If you are out of the state of Texas, then call the Chamber of Commerce in Galveston. Another way to catch alot of fish is to take a trip on a party boat. A spot on a party boat will run you about $55 dollars, depending on who you fish with. I DO NOT recomend Capt. Willams on the Texsun II -- his secretaries were rather rude to me last time I called to reserve a spot. Your best bet is Galveston Party Boats or Capt. Elliot (out of Freeport). If you do take a party boat, get there at least two hours early so you can get in line ASAP. You want to get a spot as close to the back of the boat as possible -- the back of the boat is the BEST and the front of the boat is the WORST. There are also private charters that you can take, if you have a bunch of extra money. These are by far the best to take because you wont be packed shoulder to shoulder on a party boat. There are several of them in the Galveston phone book, again, the Chamber of Commerce will be a great service here. If you do go offshore, and you get motion sickness, be sure to buy some Dramamine or other sea sickness pills. Ive never had it, but Ive seen some very upset people who lost a day fishing because of sea sickness. Another tip, tip the crew. At the end of the charter, the deck hands will come around with a bucket for tips -- carry some extra cash because these guys make less than waiters (tip is 75% of their pay). Some party boats also run bay charters. These are less expensive and you wont have to be at the dock as early. Youll catch a variety of species, some of which are really no good at all to eat. There is (or will be) a species section here one of these days with pictures and descriptions. The same rules apply -- arive early and tip generously. If you do opt for one of these trips, be sure to get information about what you can bring on board. Some captains will allow a 48qt ice chest on board and some wont. All will offer a fish cleaning service for about a dollar a pound. If youdont know what youre doing, let the pros do it. And always always always listen to a captain or deck hand. They are seasoned pros and will keep you safe if you follow directions.
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On your own -- What to bring
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First of all, if you dont know Galveston Bay, think twice about bringing a boat. You might end up stuck somewhere or more seriously you might end up hurting yourself. If you do bring a boat, be sure to have someone look out for sandbars and reefs which tend to pop up out of nowhere. When you trailer your boat, rinse everything of with lots of water -- this includes flushing the engine with one of those plunger deals that hooks up to a hose for at least fifteen minutes. Pay atention to your trailer, too.
Rods and reels -- depending on what type of fishing your eplanning on doing, you might be able to use some of the same tackle. Basicaly, besides my surf rods, I have three rods -- a lightweight All-Star with a Calcutta 100 or an Abu Garcia 5000 Sprint (depending on how heavy the lures are) for spoons and shrimptails. I use a medium action custom rod and an Abu Garcia 6500C for large plugs and popping corks. Finally I have a heavy action Falcon rod (designed for bass fishing in heavy grass) that was broken off at the tip and is now much heavier. I use that rod and a 6500C for heavy plugs and offshore jigging. The best line to use is Suffix, which is hard to find. Really, anything will work though. If you use Stren, be sure to rinse the line BEFORE you use it -- it has a factory coating on it that seems to discourage fish.
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