A Gulf with only 2 to 3 ft. swells welcomed the 76 of us fishermen aboard the partyboat Capt. John as the twin hulls pointed in an easterly direction. Our destination for the day's fishing was rocks and wrecks about 50 miles out in around 80 ft. of water.

Using various baits besides the usual, pieces of cut squid and whole Spanish sardines, were live piggies, live ruby lipped grunts, whole squid and sardine tipped Snapper Slapper lures. These baits, fished from the near surface area to the bottom, generated the following list of "cooler fish"...

?Ģ 1 ling of 29#
?Ģ 1 kingfish
?Ģ 21 triggerfish
?Ģ 1 rockhind grouper
?Ģ 13 blue runner
?Ģ 18 lane snapper
?Ģ 63 vermilion snapper
?Ģ 152 red snapper to 16 lbs, many of 5-9 and 12 of 10-14 lbs., a limit for all of the 76 fishermen.

What a beautiful "hang" as the we approached Galveston's Pier 19 with those many respectable size red snapper and others. A few of the individuals that come to mind with their catch results are these folks:

Michael & Camysha Wright, Galveston, and Michael's mother, Jimnah Nesbit, Georgetown, SC, on her first offshore fishing trip and belated Mother's Day gift. Their red snapper limits were taken on sardine tipped pink/chartreuse or black/purple, 3 ounce Snapper Slappers. Most hits came on the sink at about 40 ft. They also had vermilion snapper and blue runner on cut squid baits.

Monty Hale, Tomball, along with friends Jim Conley & Mat Brennan from Austin, all with vermilion snapper. They each also had red snapper limits to 10 lbs. taken on pink/chartreuse or blue/white, 3 ounce Snapper Slappers that were sardine tipped. Most red snapper strikes came in the 30 to 40 ft. depth range; the vermilion were a bit deeper.

Reuben Villareal, Houston, red snapper or sardines.

John Jefferies, Houston, with a red snapper catch to 8#.

Sam Rosas & Jennifer Jackson, Pearland - their red snapper limits were topped off by Jennifer's nice 10 pounder.

Harold Portier, Nederland, red snapper on cut squid and Spanish sardines.

Patrick Lemire, Texas City - My catch included 4 vermilion snapper; the trip's only kingfish and a red snapper limit to 11 lbs. The red snapper and kingfish hit a black/purple, 1 oz. Snapper Slapper that was sardine tipped. The vermilion snapper came on Carolina rigged sardines.

For today's trip by the Capt.John, the weather along with the fish cooperated to everyone's satisfaction. To make reservations for your spot or spots at the rail, give the office at Pier 19 a call at either 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853. It won't be long before the variety of catch possibilities has the added attraction of ling, kingfish, dolphin, etc. and occasionally even wahoo.