This 36 hour tuna safari by the partyboat Capt. John out of Galveston's Pier 19 was headed up by Capt. Johnny Williams. Aboard as the second captain was Capt. Shane Steber. After entering the somewhat calmed Gulf that only had a gentle four foot swell, the run offshore to the south began. The swell diminished over the course of the trip to an almost slicked off condition, quite an improvement over the last few days offshore.

First stops were made Tuesday afternoon over a couple of rock formations in 120 to 150 ft. of water, around 65 and 80 miles offshore. The majority of the trip's red snapper were taken from there by the 34 fishermen aboard. After leaving those spots, the run further offshore to the BoomVang Spar platform began. Drift fishing for tuna during the overnight period started at this platform, located about 127 miles south of The Island in 3,450 ft. of water. While there, there were a couple of hard hits and strong runs, resulting in break-offs that were highly suspected to have been yellowfin tuna. The tuna that did hit were blackfins and they were few and far between. A decision was made to move back inshore a bit to the Tequila production platform. Nine blackfin tuna had been decked, gutted and iced before leaving BoomVang.

About 1 AM Wednesday, the Capt. John was tied off to the Tequila platform, about 88 miles SSW of The Island in 650 ft. of water. Tuna fishing was a little on the slow side there also. When they left, shortly after daybreak, ten more blackfin were in the boxes. Also taken was an amberjack, a rainbow runner and a 42 lb. king snake eel.

Leaving Tequila, the run inshore to the Salvador Ridge area began, with vermilion snapper the primary target. Salvador is located around 73 miles SSW of The Island where rock formations in around 180 ft. of water were fished. Vermilion snapper were there and biting, and quite a few of the fishermen had their allowable two day limit of 20.

When the run back to Pier 19 began after leaving Salvador Ridge, another of those multi-species catches was in the fish boxes:
?Ģ 19 blackfin tuna to 20 lbs.
?Ģ 2 barracuda to 26 lbs.
?Ģ 1 kingfish of 25 lbs.
?Ģ 44 triggerfish
?Ģ 3 amberjack to 25 lbs.
?Ģ 7 dolphin (mahi-mahi)
?Ģ 1 creole fish
?Ģ 55 rainbow runner
?Ģ 1 king snake eel of 42 lbs.
?Ģ 133 red snapper to 16 lbs.(only 3 short of an allowable double limit for the 34 fishermen on this 36 hour trip.)
?Ģ 1 mangrove snapper
?Ģ 554 vermilion snapper

Lee Bull, Conroe, had 3 blackfin tuna, a double red snapper limit of 4, a double limit of 20 vermilion snapper and the 42 lb. king snake eel.

Rob Richardson, Lone Oak, 4 blackfin tuna, a barracuda, 2 dolphin, a double limit of 20 vermilion snapper, 12 rainbow runner and a double red snapper limit of 4.

Rita Baumann, Texas City, with a double red snapper limit of 4 to 16 lbs., a double vermilion snapper limit of 20, 1 blackfin tuna, 1 rainbow runner and the creole fish.

Mark Holl, Nacogdoches, had a double red snapper and vermilion snapper limits.

Jason Danks, Galveston, wound in a 13.98 lb. Little Tunny (Bonito) that is to be submitted for a new Texas Saltwater Record. The present record listed is 13.90 lb.

In addition to our daily 12 hour offshore trips there are two more of these 36 hour tuna safaris scheduled at this time, June 5-6 and July 3-4, both are Tuesday-Wednesday trips. Give the office a call at 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853 to reserve your spot on the Capt. John.